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RESERVE, MT - Two people were killed and one was seriously injured when a tornado struck a ranch in northeastern Montana on Monday evening.

The National Weather Service in Glasgow confirmed that a tornado touched down about nine miles west of Reserve in Sheridan County around 7:15 p.m. Monday.

The storm formed at around 5:30 p.m. near Opheim, with a tornado - or multiple tornadoes - intermittently touching down as it traveled east towards North Dakota.

David Fulkerson, the Sheridan County Coroner, said that the tornado struck the Smith Ranch on Rock Springs Road, about 15 miles west of Reserve. The storm demolished several buildings on the ranch; three family members are believed to have been inside one of the buildings.

Multiple agencies assisted in the search of the property, where 71-year old Barbara Smith was found in the basement of her home. She was transported to Plentywood for medical care, and later taken to Billings for additional treatment.

Smith's grandson, 10-year old Robert Richardson, and her nephew, 46-year old Steven Smith, were found dead at the scene. Fulkerson attributed their deaths to blunt-force head and chest injuries.

The National Weather Service says the tornado was reportedly two to three miles wide with winds estimated at 150 mph. It's the deadliest tornado to hit the state since 1923.