2 drown in lake in South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Two people were found dead on the shores of Lake Henry Wednesday night, according to the Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office.

In a social media post , officials said Lake Preston Fire Department and Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office officials were out storm watching when one woman was found on the shore and an ambulance was called in. A second woman was also found on the shore and life-saving steps were taken.

Both women died and authorities believe the women were on personal flotation devices when the wind picked up and they were overcome by waves.

“I’m sure they probably got capsized and couldn’t make it back to shore. So right now, that’s what we’re assuming happened to both victims,” Kingsbury County Sheriff Steven Strande said. “They weren’t very far apart. They were both by shore. So everybody, the first responders split up, and we’re working on both victims at the same time.”

Kingsbury County was under a severe thunderstorm warning at 9 p.m. Wednesday night.

“The weather hit us really fast. It changed within a matter of a few minutes. Two foot whitecaps and a lot of lightning,” Lake Henry resident Michael Kack said.

Kack lives just a couple houses away from where the women were found.

“We (saw) the ambulances come and first responders and it happened on this open beach right over here where they found two people that drowned on the beach,” Kack said.

Both of the women were in their mid sixties and from out of state. Authorities are still trying to contact their families.

As authorities investigate the deaths, the sheriff warns others to beware of the weather.

“This time of year, them storms come up quick and we’ve we haven’t had a lot of bad weather in the last year or so around here. So it’s it’s just something you always got to keep in the back of your mind. If they’re issuing warnings, keep close to shore or off the water,” Strande said.

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