Resources available for tornado survivors in Rochester

Rochester-area residents whose homes were damaged in the April 17 tornadoes can now get help with shelter, damage reporting and recovery through county, city and nonprofit teams. (olmstedcounty.gov) Olmsted County said Wednesday that Public Health, Rochester Emergency Management and the American Red Cross are coordinating resources for people who cannot safely stay in their homes. Some residents have stayed with family or friends, some arranged their own lodging, and some used space at Autumn Ridge Church. (olmstedcounty.gov) Officials are asking anyone with storm damage from April 17, 2026, to fill out Olmsted County’s severe weather damage assessment form. The county says those reports help document losses as recovery work continues. (olmstedcounty.gov) The storm response is still expanding because the National Weather Service counted five tornadoes in the April 17 outbreak, and ABC 6 reported two injuries in Stewartville and Marion Township. Olmsted County also issued a disaster declaration after the damage. (kaaltv.com, kaaltv.com) Rochester’s emergency system is also handling cleanup. The city’s storm damage dashboard says crews first work to open streets and access to homes, then sidewalks, and then public debris collection. (rochestermn.gov) For housing and basic-needs help beyond the first emergency response, Olmsted County points residents to community access sites through its housing resource list. That list includes local agencies that can screen families and single adults for coordinated housing openings. (olmstedcounty.gov) Semcac, a Southeast Minnesota nonprofit, also offers housing and utility-assistance programs in the region. Its energy-assistance line lists 1-800-944-3281 for applications and questions about help with utility bills. (semcac.org, semcac.org) The Salvation Army’s Rochester operation says it helps Olmsted County residents through disaster services and other local programs. Its local page lists a Rochester contact number of 507-288-3663, and its disaster page says the group provides food, shelter and related support to survivors. (centralusa.salvationarmy.org, centralusa.salvationarmy.org) Federal aid may come later, but FEMA says survivors can apply for assistance and use Disaster Recovery Centers when those centers are opened after a declared disaster. FEMA’s locator says those sites can help people apply, ask case questions and get recovery information in person. (fema.gov, fema.gov) For now, the fastest step is local: report the damage, call emergency management if you need help, and get connected before temporary shelter or cleanup needs grow larger. ABC 6 listed Olmsted County Emergency Management’s number as 507-328-6101. (olmstedcounty.gov, kaaltv.com)