wfn.org | Tornado in Southern Minnesota Damaged Lutheran College

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 30, 1998

TORNADO IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA DAMAGED LUTHERAN COLLEGE
98-068-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Tornadoes that killed a child an injured 38 people
in southern Minnesota March 29 severly damaged a college of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.
     "We have broken glass pretty much everywhere," said Axel D. Steuer,
president of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.  Many campus buildings
were damaged including Christ Chapel, which was destroyed.
     "Initial estimates indicate that the college has sustained $10
million in damages," said Sue Rothmeyer, director of administration for the
ELCA's Division for Higher Education and Schools.  "Gustavus Adolphus
College is currently on spring break, and we have heard no news of injury
to any students or staff," she said.
     An estimated 200 to 300 homes were damaged, trees uprooted, windows
shattered and power lines downed in St. Peter, Comfrey, Le Center and
Lonsdale, Minn.
     Faith Lutheran Church in Comfrey sustained major damage, according to
the Rev. Lawrence R. Wohlrabe, a synod minister for the ELCA's Southwestern
Minnesota Synod.  A steeple from the church was in a tree lying across the
front yard of the parsonage, just west of the church building.  The other
steeple of the church is simply gone, reported the Rev. Patricia E.
Baglien, a pastor at Faith Lutheran.
     Trinity Lutheran Church sustained significant damage, reported the
Rev. Eric Natwick, St. Peter.  The town of St. Peter "looks like a bomb hit
it," he said.
     The condition of First Lutheran Church in St. Peter is unknown.
There are no reports of damage to Scandian Grove Lutheran Church.
     "Lutheran relief workers are in the affected areas, although the town
of St. Peter is apparently still sealed off," said the Rev. Leon A.
Phillips, director for Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the ELCA
and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.   Search and rescue efforts will
continue to account for any missing people.  Lutheran relief efforts will
include communication with pastors and city officials to better determine
the extent of damage and emergency needs.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html