Severe thunderstorms swept through Olmsted and Dodge counties Friday afternoon, producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and downed trees and power lines that left thousands without electricity and caused significant damage to homes and businesses.
Senator Carla Nelson (Rochester) is sharing the following storm recovery resources to help residents and business owners work through the recovery process.
"First and foremost, I am thankful that no fatalities have been reported,” Sen. Nelson said. “This was a serious storm, and people are just starting to take stock of the damage. It might feel overwhelming, but I want to make sure people know what resources are available to them. As always, I am here to help. If you have questions or need assistance working with a state agency, please do contact me. Be well and hug your loved ones.”
Local Emergency Management
First, be sure to report any damage to your local emergency management team, even if the amount of damage you sustained was small. Here is contact information for the emergency management personnel in our area:
- Dodge County Emergency Management: 507-635-6132
- Olmsted County Emergency Management: 507-328-6101
Disaster Recovery Guides
The state publishes several disaster recovery resources that might be helpful:
- The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has disaster recovery resources for homeowners, renters, business owners, local officials, and more: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/disaster-recovery/Pages/homeowners-renters.aspx
- The Department of Commerce provides a detailed disaster information packet: https://mn.gov/commerce-stat/pdfs/disaster-information.pdf
- The Department of Commerce also has information that will help guide homeowners who have experienced damage: https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/home/dic/after-the-disaster.jsp
For questions regarding insurance claims
You can also check out the Minnesota Department of Commerce Disaster Information Center. They will help you understand your rights and answer questions you might have regarding possible insurance claims.
Here’s how to reach them:
- By phone: (800) 657-3602
- By email: protection@state.mn.us
- Online: https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/home/dic/
---30---
