Above: High winds on Friday damaged a mobile home, among other buildings, in Mediapolis. Photo/Danny Davis/Mediapolis News
By Beacon Staff
High winds tore the roof of a Mediapolis mobile home and damaged several other homes and businesses in town Friday night, March 31.
No injuries were reported in the aftermath of the storm, and the National Weather Service has not confirmed a tornado in Des Moines County.
The high winds caused severe damage to several mobile homes in a Mediapolis mobile home court, tipping over a nearby semi-trailer that almost blew into the park itself. The roof to the gazebo in Cartwright Park was ripped off and demolished, and some trees were split down the middle by the high winds, one of them toppling onto a mobile home.
Above: Alliant Energy works to restore power on Prairie Street in Mediapolis. Photo/Danny Davis/Mediapolis News
Storm Cleanup
Des Moines County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Gina Hardin sent a request for assistance to Gov. Kim Reynolds on behalf of Mediapolis and the surrounding community. In response, the governor has freed up to $5,000 for households with an income of up to 200 percent of the poverty line affected by the storm.
The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website or by contacting the disaster team at Community Action of Southeast Iowa at 319-753-0193. Potential applicants have 45 days from the disaster declaration to submit a claim.
Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Applicants should note that original receipts are required for reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery.
The city of Mediapolis issued a statement Saturday.
“We are thankful no injuries were reported during the storm last night. We want to thank the Mediapolis Fire Department, Yarmouth, Burlington, West Burlington, and Danville Departments, Des Moines County Emergency Management, CERT, Des Moines County Sheriff, Alliant Energy, and MTC for the quick and capable response to our community,” the statement read.
The city is assisting in the clean-up, according to the statement.
“It has been wonderful seeing the community coming together to clean up and help family and friends get things back to functional. The city will be providing roll-off dumpsters for building debris only. They will be placed on Maple Drive, Lofgren Street, and Prairie Street. Please continue to take trees, limbs, and branches to the Mediapolis City Dump,” the statement reads.
Most of Des Moines County Spared
Most of Des Moines County seemingly avoided the worst of Friday’s storms, though power outages, tree damage, and hail were reported across Burlington and West Burlington as well. Power outages were also reported across the county.
According to the National Weather Service, at least nine possible tornadoes were spotted across Iowa Friday as storms with hail and heavy winds battered the eastern portion of the state. Des Moines County is not one of those areas as of yet. Possible tornadoes were spotted in Wapello County, Keokuk County, Poweshiek County, Keokuk County, and Washington County.
Friday night’s storm system pulled unseasonably warm and moist conditions into the Midwest, coupled with a very favorable wind profile that created a volatile environment perfect for severe thunderstorms.
The tornado outbreak that followed was one of the largest Iowa has seen in years.
Five Tornadoes in Iowa
The National Weather Service has confirmed at least five Iowa tornadoes based on preliminary data: an EF3 near Keota, another EF3 near Hedrick in Keokuk County, two EF2 tornadoes – one each in Johnson and Clinton counties, and an EF1 over Bellevue.
Coralville and Hills in Johnson County were among the towns that saw extensive damage.
By Saturday night, the death toll nationally had risen to 21.