Wednesday marks two year anniversary of devastating derecho
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - It was two years ago on August 10, a massive storm system approached eastern Iowa.
It would eventually become one of the worst derechos in U.S. history, causing billions of dollars in damage, as winds ripped roofs off buildings and destroyed crops and trees and so much more.
The storm started in southeast South Dakota and northeast Nebraska, gaining strength as it moved.
The National Weather Service said maximum estimated winds were at around 140 miles an hour in some areas.
The storms left hundreds of thousands of people without power across the state for days.
The storm also killed three people in Iowa.
Chris Keller, 41, a utility worker for the city of Brooklyn, was killed when he was electrocuted by downed power lines.
Samantha Wierson, 42, a volunteer firefighter and EMS worker, died when a tree fell on her home in Malcom.
The storm also killed 63-year-old Thomas Rowland of Solon. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said a falling tree hit him while he rode his bike on a trail near Ely Road and Wright Brothers Boulevard.
Several others were also hurt in the storm.
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