Gov. Dennis Daugaard has declared a state of emergency for all of South Dakota following a Christmas Day storm that resulted in stranded motorists and electrical power outages.
The Governor, in issuing the Executive Order, has ordered that state government technical resources be made available to support county governments in efforts to restore normal travel conditions and emergency services. Those technical resources will be coordinated by the state Department of Public Safety’s Office of Emergency Management.
“Every part of South Dakota was impacted in some way by this holiday storm,” said Gov. Daugaard. “If it was not heavy snow, it was freezing rain and high winds. Many South Dakotans and visitors had to change their Christmas plans because of the storm’s impact.”
Blizzard conditions forced the closure of Interstate 90 from the Wyoming border to Chamberlain from Sunday night through Monday morning. Electrical power outages were reported in many parts of the state.
Office of Emergency Management staff already have been contacting counties about the type of resources needed and damages sustained.