Afton, Creston residents begin to clean up after tornadoes touch down

CRESTON, Iowa — Multiple tornadoes touched down all across the state on Friday evening. And for folks in Union County, the worst of it was tearing up roofs and launching debris in the air around 6 p.m.

“I didn’t really hear anything. Just that one ‘boom’,” said Jerry Thomsen, a Creston resident who had some damage done to his roof.

Thomsen lived up the street from those who caught the worse damage. Including a house that had significant roof damage from debris that flew off of the roof of a Homestead Senior Living community.

“Loud noise, banging. And there’s two by fours and siding that’s hit down below. And I’m thankful it didn’t go through the patio doors downstairs because I didn’t realize the glass could be such force,” said Janice Rodgers, a Creston resident.

Neighbors showed up just after 8 a.m. to help those who had large amounts of debris on their lawn.

Just a couple miles down the road in Afton, the damage to homes was a little more severe. With one property owner losing the roof of his home and his garage attached.

They mentioned the one that was headed basically right for us. And I looked out the window and could see it and we all hit the basement. Soon as we hit the basement, our ears popped and just mass destruction,” said Brad Dukes, an Afton resident.

Dukes managed to get himself and his family into his father-in-law’s property right next door to them. Both properties were being cleaned up early Saturday with the help of neighbors, friends and community members.

“We don’t know where to turn, what to do. Luckily, we’ve got lots of friends and family coming out, showing up, not even calling them. They’re just showing up,” said Dukes.

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