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Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Derechos in Iowa.
8/28/2020 (Permalink)
Be aware of weather conditions and stay safe.
On August 10, 2020, Iowa experienced what felt like an inland hurricane. The storm we experienced is identified as a Derecho. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a derecho is a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms and sometimes thunderstorms that move across a great distance and are characterized by damaging winds.
This natural disaster was unannounced and in just a few hours, homes and businesses were destroyed, crops were flattened, phone and electricity lines knocked down, trees uprooted, and semi-trucks toppled over. This was no small feat. Fortunately, nearby communities took notice and local SERVPROs requested help from the SERVPRO Storm Teams!
Weeks after the event, we are still seeing many disaster relief organizations, restoration companies, electrical companies, tree removal companies, and utility companies still hard at work aiding Iowa.
SERVPRO Cleans Up After Storm
SERVPRO of Black Hawk County is currently working on losses as a result of the derecho storm. One loss we are hoping to restore sooner than later is a middle school in Tama County, whose roof was torn off by the heavy winds. The classes received a lot of water damage. Water made its way inside the three-story building, knocking down ceiling tiles and soaking the carpets. There’s a lot of debris we need to clean up as well. We have rented out a power generator for an electrical source and a Desiccant generator to provide hot air in the building for a faster drying time. We are grateful to our team who is working in these conditions to help restore this important building.
4 DERECHO SAFETY TIPS
- Stay tuned to local radio and TV stations for weather conditions.
- Stay indoors.
- Stay away from windows.
- Go to basement or an inside room with no windows on the lowest floor.
DID YOU KNOW? The word “derecho” is of Spanish origin but the first person to assign this word to this type of weather phenomenon was a professor of physics at the University of Iowa. His name is Gustavus Hinrichs.
Check out our Emergency Disaster Kit blog.
References:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derecho
https://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/hinrichs/hinrichs.htm