NORTHWOOD (AP) - Normal electric service returned to the hospital and nursing home here as residents and volunteers continued the cleanup from a weekend tornado that left this Grand Forks County town in shambles.

"That was set as an early priority when they initially assessed everything. Clean up and get power to the hospital," emergency operations spokesman John Bernstrom said Wednesday. "It's a step in the right direction."

The hospital had been running on emergency generators. Electrical crews were hoping to restore power to the rest of the town by week's end, Bernstrom said.

Separately, the Northwood school board voted Wednesday to send its 250 students to nearby Hatton while board members decide what to do with the heavily damaged school building, which would cost an estimated $1 million or more to repair.

Hatton intends to reopen an unused part of its school building, and bring in some modular classrooms to handle the influx. Some Northwood students may be attending class elsewhere in the next few weeks while the Hatton arrangements are made final.

Classes at Northwood's school had been scheduled to begin Monday, but were canceled for the week after the storm hit Sunday night.

The tornado killed one man and injured 18. Repair costs from the twister could reach $59 million, said Marcy Douglas, the city auditor. Northwood has about 950 residents.

Most buildings in town suffered some damage, and as many as 74 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage.

Bernstrom said streets were being cleared of debris on Wednesday and there were fewer dump trucks moving in and out of town. A sunny day "helped lift spirits a little bit," he said.

"It's amazing how things change day to day," Bernstrom said. "The cleanup efforts are going as good as they can go."

Douglas said it would have taken residents a year to get to that point without the help of volunteers.

"Northwood has been on a recent spurt with new business. Everyone here is ready to build this community, make it shine and grow," she said.

Federal and state officials were exploring ways of helping residents pay for rebuilding. Bank of North Dakota President Eric Hardmeyer said the bank should be able to provide financial assistance to supplement federal aid.

"The process is probably to let the federal programs come in and take over, and see what they can offer, and sit down later with the local officials and bankers to fill in the gaps," Hardmeyer told the state Industrial Commission on Wednesday.

The commission's members - Gov. John Hoeven, Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem - said one issue for Northwood residents may be whether their homes are insured for the cost of replacing them or for their market value.

The difference between replacement cost and a home's market value, which is likely to be lower, "would make a big difference in a community like Northwood," Stenehjem said. Johnson said the gap "is probably significant."

Hoeven said Northwood residents may be eligible for state unemployment benefits if the place where they work is too badly damaged to operate. People may begin signing up for benefits today, he said.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials began estimating the damage on Wednesday, and expected to be wrapped up by today, FEMA spokesman Derek Jensen said. It will be up the Hoeven to ask for a federal disaster declaration, he said.

"The preliminary assessment helps us identify what some of the unmet needs are and whatever resources are needed if the declaration is approved," Jensen said. "The town here was devastated. The residents are dealing with a lot right now."

About 200 volunteers showed up on Wednesday to help with cleanup, officials said. Area college students are making plans to help, including athletes from the University of North Dakota and electrical club members from the North Dakota State College of Science.

UND President Charles Kupchella approved paid time off for employees whose property was damaged by the Northwood tornado, or whose immediate family members are affected, school officials said.