Submitted Photo Five-year-old Emma Holland looks up at her trampoline that was impaled onto a tree during a severe storm on Tuesday, June 2, in Rolette County.

ROLETTE COUNTY – The Belcourt and St. John area were hit with high winds, hail and a possible tornado on Tuesday June 2, which caused major damage to several structures including entire decks and sheds blowing away, substantial damage to several roofs and the entire roof of a daycare blowing off its base.

In addition to the wind damage, hail also broke windows, caused damage to cars and forced drivers to pull over and seek shelter.

“I actually got caught in the storm,” said Belcourt Rural Fire Department Capt. Gary Baker. “I had to pull over and hide in the trees. Once the hail left I actually had to put it in four wheel drive because there was so much ice on the road. It was so thick. I’d say maybe two to three inches on the road, and then with the water on top of that it was pretty bad.”

Jenna Parisien, emergency manager of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, reported there were no fatalities, but she knew of one individual who sustained scratches on his face while taking shelter. Workers were digging phone lines in a heavily affected area when they took shelter in a work truck that was struck by a 2×4 piece of lumber through the front windshield.

“It’s a wonder nobody got hurt,” Parisien said.

As of 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, the National Weather Service office in Bismarck had not confirmed whether a tornado occurred.