A S.D. Town Mulls Future After Twisters

A weekend of violent weather killed at least 16 people from the upper Midwest to New England, authorities said Monday, while a small South Dakota town wiped off the map by a tornado pondered its future.

Hundreds of homes were destroyed and thousands of people were left without electricity in the wake of wind-whipped thunderstorms and twisters that left 150 people injured across several states.

Three other storm-related fatalities were reported in Wisconsin, three in Michigan, two in Massachusetts and one each in Pennsylvania and Ohio, raising the total deaths over the weekend from the tumultuous weather to at least 16.

Gov. William Janklow compared the devastation in Spencer, S.D., to that left by a bomb blast. Speaking for the town’s 300 residents, he said: “It’s like my world is gone. It’s like a death.”

The mayor of the 122-year-old village, which is 50 miles west of Sioux Falls, questioned whether the town would survive the disaster, doubts echoed by residents who weighed whether to rebuild.

“We hope that this isn’t the end of this town, but it doesn’t look good,” Mayor Rocky Kirby said. “How can you think anything today? Everyone is in shock and dismay.”

President Clinton declared a disaster for McCook County, making federal aid available for cleanup, rebuilding and temporary housing. And the South Dakota Community Foundation said it will give $1,000 to every Spencer resident.