Emergency Management teams prepare to leave Taopi after tornado clean-up

(ABC 6 News) – Crews were still working on restoring Taopi Tuesday after an EF2 tornado tore through the town last week. Neighboring emergency management teams stepped in to offer resources during this time.

As of Tuesday, much of the clean-up is focused on the cosmetics of the town with most public utilities restored to homes and businesses. Crews were still working to clear the debris from the storm, but community members said they are hopeful that the clean-up process will keep moving in the right direction.

"It was a huge relief to see the debris leaving it’s a huge relief when the first dumpster left. It will be an even bigger relief when the last dumpster leaves, but it’s been a great response from all of our agencies – the local people. I mean, you can’t be in southern Minnesota and not have the locals come and help and use the resources that they have," Amy Lammey, Mower County’s emergency manager, said.

The total cost of the damage has yet to be calculated, but it’s expected that it will meet the threshold for public assistance.

"The community has been very supportive of us and we really appreciate that. They welcome us into the community," Rich Hall, Freeborn County’s emergency management director, said. "I think we’ve done a pretty good job for them as far as helping to clear the debris and point a path forward."

Freeborn County Emergency Management has been there since last Wednesday offering services to help streamline operations. The crew said they are planning on wrapping up operations Wednesday.