NORTHWOOD (AP) - Nine months after a tornado left Northwood in ruins, the community is opening bids to demolish its business district.

Empty Main Street buildings in the town of about 950 are cordoned off by fencing. The city plans to open bids Monday for an estimated $900,000 demolition project.

The EF-4 tornado, which struck Northwood on Aug. 26, killed one person and injured 18.

Damage has been estimated at more than $28 million to homeowners' personal property alone. Officials have no total yet for commercial losses because insurance claims have not been settled, City Administrator Marcy Douglas said.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., toured Northwood on Saturday, including Agvise Laboratories and Guenthner Super Valu. Both businesses were destroyed in the tornado, and both have been rebuilt.