EADS, COLO. -- At least five homes were destroyed and minor injuries were reported after as many as three rare nighttime tornadoes ripped through three sparsely populated counties on the southeastern Colorado plains.
The state emergency management division says tornadoes were reported early Friday in Prowers, Kiowa and Bent counties in southeastern Colorado.
Kiowa County authorities say a resident in a home near Chivington was rescued after being briefly trapped and was treated for minor injuries.
Electric power is out in several areas and the Colorado Department of Transportation says vehicles are having trouble finding gas.
Several buildings and homes have also been damaged in nearby Lamar.
To avoid potentially being stranded, officials said motorists and travelers should avoid Lamar and the surrounding areas until power has been restored. Local and state authorities are in the process of determining a plan of action and recovery, including specific requests for aid.
Tornado season usually doesn't begin until May in Colorado and overnight tornadoes are rare because the temperature usually drops at night. The severe weather hit after near record highs in the 80s.
The tornadoes occured exactly one year after a string of tornadoes ripped through Tuscaloosa, Ala., killing dozens.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story
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