Midwest Tornadoes

Dean Ferguson walks to the tornado-damaged home of Vernon and Pat Ferguson, his brother and sister-in-law, to help them salvage items, June 25, 2003, in Manchester, S.D. A tornado destroyed tiny Manchester, a rural community where six people lived in three houses.

Bob Schutt, left, and his brother-in-law Terry Crater look at family photos found in the rubble of a home Schutt used for storage, June 25, 2003, in Manchester, S.D. The tornado, estimated at one-quarter of a mile wide, destroyed the structures in Manchester and stripped all the trees.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty walks through rubble in Buffalo Lake, Minn, June 25, 2003, after a tornado hit the small town. The twister ripped the roofs off homes, tossed power lines to the ground and sent residents of this town of 770 to their basements.

Fairfax policeman Larry Dallman guards the south entrance to Buffalo Lake while the sky is lit up by continuous lightning, June 24, 2003, in Buffalo Lake, Minn. A tornado that hit this small farm town downed power lines, damaged buildings and injured residents.

A woman prays at the altar of the damaged Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, June 25, 2003, in Buffalo Lake, Minn.

A funnel cloud is shown about five miles north of Woonsocket, S.D., June 24, 2003. Strong thunderstorms battered much of eastern South Dakota, bringing heavy rain, hail and several reports of tornadoes. Near Woonsocket, the storm ripped a roof off a house and downed power lines

A car attempts to make a run through two feet of water outside of the Kandi Entertainment Center in Willmar, Minn., June 24, 2003. Several tornado sightings were confirmed during the evening in Kandiyohi County.

Lake Ore-Be-Gone lifeguard Steph Johnson looks up from her paperwork to watch a new line of storm clouds move over the beach in Gilbert, Minn., June 24, 2003. Johnson, who was catching up on paperwork since rain showers left her with the beach to herself, was watching the sky in case of lightning.

Auburn, Iowa, resident Les Schulte surveys storm damage while sitting on his bike in front of the city's destroyed maintenance building, June 24, 2003. Numerous buildings were damaged as strong storms rumbled across parts of western Iowa, blowing off roofs and toppling branches and power lines.

Unidentified workers clean up the remains of a hog barn on the property belonging to Curtis Papenhausen, northeast of Coleridge, Neb. June 24, 2003. A tornado ripped through the area the night before, killing Papenhausen.

People recover items from a house at a farm near Coleridge, Neb., June 24, 2003, after a tornado hit late the night before.

Gene Orth of Aurora, Neb., holds a 12-1/2 inch hail stone he recovered and stored in his freezer, June 23, 2003. The National Weather Service has been on the scene and believes the hail, which left a crater 14-1/2 inches wide and 11 inches deep, may be record size.

A combine belonging to the Paul Wemhoff family of rural Coleridge, Neb., was demolished in a July 23, 2003, tornado that destroyed the family's home, their outbuildings and a number of feeder cattle.

People search for personal belongings at the home of Tom Dahl, June 23, 2003, in Deshler, Neb.

Destruction lies in the wake of a tornado in downtown Deshler, Neb., June 23, 2003. Up to a foot of rain and at least seven tornadoes pounded southern Nebraska, killing one person, destroying at least four homes, and causing flooding.