While Austin and the surrounding communities may have been spared from severe flooding and tornado damage over the weekend, we send our sympathies again to residents of Houston County, who were ravaged again by heavy rains nearly a year after flooding devastated the area.

Volunteers from southeastern Minnesota, and undoubtedly our area, will provide their support to the Scenic Bluffs region, where residents and campers were evacuated Sunday.

We are thankful that although some citizens are very unfortunate to experience these weather disasters, there is an increased effort to keep residents safe and informed about weather conditions.

Tornado sirens sounded continuously Saturday afternoon in the city of Austin when the county was under a tornado warning, and TV news sacrificed programming to stay on top of the storms, advising locals to find a safe shelter and take cover if on the road.