Rochester residents clean up after storm - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 47) --  You are a hard sleeper if you made it through Tuesday night's storm without flinching. The winds and thunder shook the town and left their evidence behind.

"We woke up about 2 or 2:30 and we kept hearing these horrendous bangs," said Rochester resident Nancy Parry.

The 70 mph winds uprooted trees and blew dozens of branches right off their core.

"It looked like a war zone with all the branches and debris on the ground," said Jeff Schwert, who came to help his father-in-law cleanup after the storm.

The trees knocked down power lines, leaving almost 5,000 people across Rochester without electricity.

"This one was just dancing in the wind and pretty soon it just started breaking apart," said Parry.

Crews were scattered across the Med City trying to keep up with the overwhelming requests for service.

"The insurance man just told me to call whomever I need to," said Rochester resident Dan Laures. "The adjuster man can't come until Monday, so I'm guessing they are back logged."

A tree that Dan said has been there since he can remember collapsed right on top of his family's home.

"The house didn't leak, the soften facial is crushed, there's a hole in the side but other than that everything seems to be okay," said Laures.

Down the street, Jeff Schwert took his day off to help clear out some of the debris.

"My father in law lives right there and he called me said he had a branch down and I said well it's my day off I'll come and do it for you," said Schwert. "Did not realize the extent of the branch."

Although the remnants of last night's storm remain, Wednesday's calmer weather is evidence that residents will be taking one step at a time.