Tour bus crashes and highways remain closed after heavy snowfall

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A bus of Canadian tourists rolled over on a slushy highway Thursday as storms that dumped heavy, wet snow across the Northern Plains began to taper off.

Fifty-six people were on the bus that crashed near Bowman, N.D., about 150 miles southwest of Bismarck. The extent of their injuries wasn't immediately known, but many had broken bones and a few were being flown to Bismarck with more serious trauma.

The accident happened as heavy snow blasted the western part of the state, forcing the North Dakota Highway Patrol to close a 60-mile stretch of Interstate 94 from Dickinson, N.D. to the Montana line.

A winter storm warning was out for western and central North Dakota.

Residents of Rhame, N.D., reported blizzard conditions and nearly 8 inches of snow since noon the day before.

Though classes were canceled, the only grocery store in the town of 200 was open. ''You never know, somebody might need something,'' owner Lori Eagon said.

In South Dakota, storms across the northern Black Hills started to taper off early Thursday, but two highways remained closed because of strong wind.

Interstate 90 was shut down Wednesday morning from Moorcroft, Wyo., to just inside the South Dakota border near Spearfish. Highway 85 was closed from Newcastle, Wyo., to Cheyenne Crossing just west of Lead, S.D. Both highways reopened Thursday afternoon.

Winds of between 15 mph and 30 mph were to expected to continue Thursday.

The heaviest snow on Wednesday fell on the western side of South Dakota's Black Hills. Snowfall ranged as high as 54 inches at Elk Mountain, and 36 inches at Terry Peak.

Some rural areas of the northern hills remained without electricity Thursday after snow knocked down power poles and lines.

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