
Severe weather struck North Dakota on Wednesday as five tornadoes swept through the Dakotas, leading to the derailment of 43 train cars. The BNSF Railway train, which had stopped due to a tornado warning, was hit by high winds that caused the empty cars to topple off the tracks.
BNSF Railway spokesperson Kendall Sloan confirmed that no injuries occurred and that there were no hazardous materials on the train. The derailment happened near Steele, North Dakota, where the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed a tornado touchdown at approximately 8:00 p.m. An earlier tornado was reported near Selfridge, North Dakota, at 5:40 p.m.
The NWS also identified three additional potential tornadoes in north-central South Dakota later that night. As survey crews continue to assess the damage, the full impact of the tornadoes remains unclear.
Cleanup operations began in the early hours of Thursday morning, but there is no clear timeline for when the work will be completed. The derailment has raised concerns about the vulnerability of transportation infrastructure in the face of severe weather events.
As North Dakota recovers from the tornadoes, officials are focused on assessing the damage and ensuring the safety of residents and transportation systems in the affected areas.