Power, road crews battle aftermath of Dakota blizzard
Crews fought mud and water Friday as they tried to restore power after a fierce storm spread a wintry mix across the Dakotas, while authorities worked to remove snow-stranded vehicles that littered an Interstate highway hours after their occupants were rescued.
Blizzard warnings subsided, but thousands of customers in rural areas remained without power after freezing rain and high winds.
In South Dakota, the Highway Patrol worked through the night to rescue people stranded in their vehicles on snow-clogged highways in the western part of the state.
The storm dropped at least 45 inches of snow near Deadwood, S.D., in the Black Hills. In both Dakotas, dozens of schools, agencies, businesses and attractions, including Mount Rushmore National Memorial, had to close.
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Major North Dakota roads reopened Friday after blizzard conditions in the central and western parts of the state, but officials warned they were still icy and snow-covered.
