3 killed, dozens injured in Minn. tornadoes

WADENA, Minn. — Police and National Guard soldiers are blocking entry to tornado-damaged neighborhoods in Wadena as the northwestern Minnesota town prepares to start cleaning up after the devastating storms.

At least three people were killed and dozens injured as tornadoes hit much of Minnesota late Thursday.

In the northwest part of the state, an elderly woman was killed in Almora and a gas station owner was killed in Mentor. In southern Minnesota, one person was killed at a farm west of Albert Lea.

Officials in Wadena are meeting to plan the town’s next step. The storms destroyed or damaged dozens of homes, toppled power lines and left a big chunk of the town treeless.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty planned to tour storm-damaged areas later Friday.