Storms spawn flooding, tornadoes

FARGO, N.D. – Flooding from heavy rain and snowmelt around the Red River threatened homes and washed out roadways, killing a woman who stumbled into a water-filled ditch, officials said Friday.

The rain was part of a line of thunderstorms and tornadoes that tore up homes, knocked down power lines and injured several people as it moved across the Midwest a day earlier.

The severe weather continued across central Indiana Friday night, spawning tornadoes blamed for damaging several homes and businesses. No serious injuries were reported.

“These storms were also prolific hail producers. We’ve had reports of golfball-sized hail,” said John Ogren, a weather service meteorologist in Indianapolis.

In North Dakota, the rising Red River brought back memories of high water in 1997 that swamped Grand Forks, and caused heavy damage throughout the valley bordering North Dakota and Minnesota.

The weather service predicted major flooding for the Grand Forks area, saying the river could rise to about 47 feet by next Friday. Flood stage in Grand Forks is 28 feet, but residents are protected by a huge dike project begun after the 1997 disaster.

City spokesman Kevin Dean said the dike system is about 85 percent complete, adding that many vulnerable properties have been acquired since the earlier flood.