While North Dakota sees an average of about 23 tornadoes a year, fatalities are rare, National Weather Service data indicates. The last tornado to claim three or more lives in the state was a July 4, 1978, storm that killed five people in Elgin. It was recorded as an F4.

"The Cass County Sheriff’s Office extends its heartfelt sympathies to the victim's families, the community of Enderlin, and all other communities affected by this weekend's trag

Six people died over the weekend when tornadoes wreaked havoc in New York and North Dakota. Wind speeds topped 100 mph in each storm. In North Dakota, three tornadoes in the eastern part of the state tore down trees,