May 6, 2008 7:01 pm US/Central
Finding Hidden Dangers In Lake Tornado Left Behind
LE SUEUR COUNTY, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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All week divers will feel their way through Lake Emily in Le Sueur County. They're searching for rooftops, lawnmowers and even cars all cast away by a twister.
CBS
Nearly two years after a tornado ripped through southern Minnesota, part of the cleanup is just beginning. All week divers will feel their way through Lake Emily in Le Sueur County. They're searching for rooftops, lawnmowers and even cars all cast away by a twister.
"Yesterday we found a dumpster, some more decking today and we're pretty sure we have a trailer. That's what it looks like, feels like I should say," said Diver Josh Dexter. "Visibility is anywhere from about 0 to 6 inches at most."
Some of these divers searched the rubble of the Interstate 35W bridge. The murk in the Mississippi River was good training for the conditions in Lake Emily.
In late August 2006, while the rest of the state enjoyed the Minnesota State Fair, people in cities of Le Center, Kasota and Cleveland had little to celebrate. An F3 tornado killed a man and damaged dozens of homes, not to mention the crops and the trees.
"Just cleaning up this lake, which was hit so hard by, is also just something the community needs to move forward," said State Rep. Laura Brod, who represents the cities damaged.
And the hope is people will be able to do just that, just in time for this weekend's fishing opener.
People did use the lake last summer and there were no injuries but officials worry it won't be safe until the divers finish their work. The expensive cleanup is being paid for with $75,000 in state funds.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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