St. Francis, S.D. — Late Sunday night into early Monday morning, a storm hit the Rosebud community, damaging homes and sending six to the hospital.
St. Francis, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Todd County, reported damage to structures, and called on the Red Cross for assistance. The Red Cross Disaster Program Manager received the call for assistance about 1 a.m. Monday (April 28, 2025) morning from an emergency manager on the Rosebud Reservation.
According to Rosebud Sioux Tribe Emergency Manager Robert Oliver, damage assessments are currently underway with inspectors on-site. Rosebud Sioux Tribal President Kathleen Wooden Knife has signed an emergency declaration in order to apply for funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Community members got to work helping those most affected as soon as the storm passed, with the St. Francis Indian School being used as a temporary shelter.
Wooden Knife said about 12,000 people were impacted by the storm damage in several communities. Straight-line winds, she said, turned over trailer homes and damaged homes, sending six members of two families to the hospital. Wooden Knife reported wide-scale power outages and half of the roof missing from the St. Francis Community Center. Damage reports were still coming in Monday morning.
While some suffered broken bones, scrapes and scratches, no casualties have been reported.
According to NewsCenter 1, Todd County was in a severe thunderstorm warning and tornado watch late last night. Newscenter1 Meteorologist Sam Johnson reported the area experienced winds up to 77 mph from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and golf ball sized hail.
Tripp and Mellette counties were also impacted by the storm.
