Residents, crews continue cleaning up after Sunday night storm

May 25--A section of a Grand Forks street remained closed late Tuesday morning, signaling the level of damage left by a Sunday night thunderstorm that knocked down trees and cut power to thousands of residents.

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The National Weather Service estimated that wind speeds reached 100 to 110 miles per hour in some areas during the storm. It was enough to tear off a portion of a home's roof and uproot trees.

Park Drive was the only street that was still closed Tuesday morning, according to a post on the city of Grand Forks' Facebook page, but the city planned to reopen it later in the day. City spokesman John Bernstrom said a large tree fell across the street and it had not been hauled away yet.

An adjacent alley was also closed and the city hoped to reopen it by this weekend. Crews have been running street sweepers in the area as well, Bernstrom said.

Some residents had already brought some debris to the city's Public Works facility on North 47th Street.

"It appears that cleanup has progressed and now they're looking to get rid of it," Bernstrom said.

Residents may also choose to hire a contractor to bring debris to the city landfill. The city asked that those unable to haul their own debris leave it on the berm by the street and not in the alley, and then call Public Works to schedule a special pickup.

Bernstrom said city crews are determining on a "case-by-case" basis whether the latter option will carry a fee.

"We understand what these people just went through too," he said.

'Localized'

Thunderstorms that formed in central and eastern North Dakota Sunday evening organized into a line of storms later that night in the eastern part of the state. Winds gusts with speeds between 40 and 50 miles per hour were common along the leading edge of the line of storms, according to a summary on the National Weather Service website.

"A localized region of enhanced straight line wind damage from a microburst occurred across eastern sections of Grand Forks into East Grand Forks, with estimated wind speeds up to" 100 to 110 miles per hour, the summary added.

The damage those winds brought also sprung local insurance agents into action. Kevin Kouba, a State Farm insurance agent, said he visited with a few homeowners in town Monday, took photos and explained "how the process works."

"Once a claim has been filed, then we go from there," he said.

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota issued a press release Tuesday morning offering tips to storm damage victims. That advice included contacting the insurance company immediately, documenting the damage to the property and avoiding making permanent repairs until getting approval from the insurance company.

"People in this position naturally want to get their homes back in order as quickly as possible," the Better Business Bureau said. "However, making decisions in haste can sometimes make matters worse."

Holly Anderson, a State Farm spokeswoman based in Illinois, said they see too many people who are "not really insurance savvy" in the spring storm season. She said customers often don't have an up-to-date home inventory.

"In the event of a major claim, it is much harder that people realize to remember or list all of the items in every room," Anderson said in an email. "Requirements vary from company to company, but typically, insurers want a list of lost or damaged property items and the (approximate) value before issuing claims checks for contents."

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota offered tips to storm damage victims Tuesday after high winds damaged trees and homes in Grand Forks. Among the tips are:

--Contact your insurance company immediately to ask about policy coverage and filing requirements

--Document damage to your property and vehicles with photos or video, if possible

--Don't make any permanent repairs until you get approval from your insurance company

--Shop around and get multiple estimates

--Ask all contractor companies for proof of liability and workers compensation insurance as well as a license to do work in Minnesota or North Dakota

--Demand a written contract with anyone you hire

--Never pay in full for all repairs in advance and do not pay cash

--Refrain from filing an insurance claim on something that you do not intend to fix

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