Hudson unites after straight-line winds devastate small South Dakota town
PHOTOS: Emergency manager says every property in the city sustained damage; Gov. Rhoden surveys destruction in southern Lincoln County
HUDSON — A tight-knit southern Lincoln County community is among the hardest-hit towns in South Dakota following a wave of severe weather that battered the eastern half of the state Monday night.
Though tornadoes were confirmed in other parts of South Dakota, it was straight-line winds, not twisters, that leveled much of Hudson, a town of about 320 people roughly 50 miles southeast of Sioux Falls.
According to emergency officials, nearly every property in town suffered some form of damage. Dozens of homes and businesses were left destroyed or heavily damaged, trees were uprooted or snapped in half, and vehicles were mangled after winds estimated at nearly 90 miles per hour ripped through the area.
"It's about as bad as I've seen," said Lincoln County Emergency Manager Harold Timmerman, who has served in the role since 2002 following a three-decade career in firefighting.
Gov. Larry Rhoden toured the wreckage Tuesday afternoon, meeting with local officials and residents. He described the scale of the destruction as “incredible,” especially in the absence of any confirmed tornado activity in Hudson.
"I don’t remember seeing straight-line winds that have done this extent of damage – huge huge trees snapped in half or blown over, roofs and elevators with some extensive damage. So it's pretty incredible that there was no indication of tornado," Rhoden said, noting the state is offering support with storm recovery.
"They’ve already accomplished a great deal, but I told the sheriff and the mayor that when they reassess what their needs are, we will make them available," he added, referring to state inmates who can be deployed for cleanup work.
No serious injuries have been reported as of Tuesday evening, but response efforts are ongoing. Utility crews, local volunteers, and first responders continued working through the day to clear debris and restore basic services to the town.
Officials say damage assessments will continue in the coming days to determine the full scope of the impact and to identify what state or federal assistance might be available.
