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I live about 3 blocks from the sorority that was blown through. I was in my back room with my daughter in the closet where were were mostly underground. I could hear the funnels whistling loudly across the neighborhood. Definately a scary feeling. Was mostly worried about that my daughter was safe and not tramatized by this storm.
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Thursday, April 13, 2006
Storm wreaks havoc in downtown Iowa City
By the Press-Citizen
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A wave of storms blew through eastern Iowa tonight, giving their worst to the heart of Iowa City.
While most areas north of downtown seemed to be spared the worst of the wind, rain and hail, downtown and south-central Iowa City look as if a riot swept through town.
Authorities have yet to declare that a tornado hit the heart of town. But whatever it was wind, hail, rain, a tornado it left destruction in its wake. Thankfully, only a handful of injuries have been reported.
Thousands of residents, mostly college students, were roaming the streets surveying the damage in the storms aftermath, shooting digital pictures and struggling to get cell phone service. Those whose homes have been damaged are being sent to the City High gym to take shelter for the night. The University of Iowa has cancelled Friday classes, the state has mobilized the National Guard, and every available Iowa City Police officer is on the clock.
Authorities at this hour are clearing out the pedestrian mall and surrounding areas because of gas leaks in the vicinity of the Martinis and Union bars. Sgt. Troy Kelsay of the Iowa City Police Department said there were some reports of looting and that some storefront windows were broken out, but it isnt clear if that damage was intentional or weather related.
MidAmerican Energy scrambled to contain the gas leaks and to restore power outages, mainly on the southeast side of town and along Summit Street. MidAmericans Terry Smith said the storm knocked out power to 5,000 customers.
The worst of the destruction seems to have been on Riverside Drive and Governor, College and Burlington streets:
The historic Dairy Queen on Riverside Drive was completely demolished.
Its lost, said Kurt Friese, whose wifes family had run the store for 54 years. Only the cinder blocks remain.
Friese said three employees and a family of four luckily escaped injury by taking cover in the basement.
Across the street at Hartwig Dodge, several car windows were broken out and at least on vehicle was on its side.
Its devastating, absolutely devastating, said Angie Hartwig, the wife of Hartwig part-owner Greg Hartwig. She was on the verge of tears as her husband surveyed the damage with a flashlight.
At Clinton and Burlington streets, several cars were overturned and a shed yes, a shed was lying in the intersection of Clinton and Burlington streets. It appears to have come from the roof of one of the surrounding buildings.
At Washington and Governor streets, the east wall of the Alpha Chi Omega house collapsed, exposing the rooms to the elements. Downed power lines are strewn across that intersection.
At St. Patricks Catholic Church on Court Street, half of the roof of the building has been ripped off completely.
The Menards store on Highway 1 also has serious roof damage, with customers dashing to the center of the store as the storm blew through.
The area hit by the storms is home to many college-aged renters who watched the storm come through.
Jon Keller, 25, said he saw a tornado from his apartment on the northeast corner of Burlington and Linn streets. Keller went to his window after his power went out, and saw a tornado coming east on Burlington Street.
He pulled his couch on top of himself as the roof of the building was being torn off.
I was praying, he said. I was hiding under the couch, and the phone got sucked out from under the couch
Chris Gelbuda was in his apartment at 400 S. Dubuque St., across from St. Patricks.
We were sitting on my front porch watching the whole thing come in, he said. We were watching and watching and watching and then it got silent and all the rain and hail stopped. We were staring right into (a funnel cloud) and it was like a freight train coming right at us. Before we knew it we were panicking. We ran into our building and into the basement.
The lightning was green and we could see the lightning through the funnel cloud.
Once again, the National Weather Service has not yet confirmed that Iowa City was hit by a tornado, but Iowa City Fire Inspector Steve Stimmel said that if the tornado is confirmed, it would be the first to hit Iowa City.
Here is another report on the damage caused by the tornado that ripped through downtown Iowa City earlier this evening.
I know for many of us this town was a big part of our lives for several years during college. For me, Iowa City was my home for 20 years of my life! It will always be my home. I can't even put into words what I'm feeling right now.
My thoughts are with all of my friends and family in Iowa City, and with all of you who know this town so well.
April 14, 2006, 12:04AM
Tornadoes Rip Through Eastern Iowa
By TODD DVORAK and JOE NUGENT Associated Press Writers
2006 The Associated Press
IOWA CITY, Iowa Severe storms ripped through eastern Iowa on Thursday night, spawning tornadoes, high wind and hail that crushed homes and cars, toppled trees and cut off power to thousands.
No major injuries were immediately reported. Residents sifted through debris downtown and in several neighborhoods.
"We're in disaster mode," an Iowa City dispatcher said.
At the University of Iowa, which the National Weather Service said was hit by one tornado, students were assessing the damage, including downed trees.
Andrew Loffswold fled his apartment when he heard the howling winds of an oncoming twister grow louder. When he returned, his second-story apartment was in shambles, its roof torn off and its contents turned upside down.
"I'm just trying to salvage anything I can," said Loffswold, a 19-year-old student from Sioux City.
Nine other nearby apartments suffered major damage.
University spokesman Steve Parrott said classes have been canceled for Friday while crews repair the campus and clear debris.
Downtown, severe winds blew cars around, and a roof collapsed at a pedestrian mall, police said.
The weather service reported tornadoes in Tama, Linn, Muscatine and Johnson counties, with much of the damage occurring in Iowa City.
Officials were keeping an eye out for more tornadoes in east-central Iowa on Thursday night, Donavon said.
The storms swept through northern Illinois, knocking down trees and power lines and prompting tornado warnings.
At least one tornado was spotted on the ground in Mercer County and 80 mph winds were reported in Warren County, where a roof was ripped off a building, the weather service said.
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Thursday, April 13, 2006
Storm wreaks havoc in downtown Iowa City
By the Press-Citizen
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A wave of storms blew through eastern Iowa tonight, giving their worst to the heart of Iowa City.
While most areas north of downtown seemed to be spared the worst of the wind, rain and hail, downtown and south-central Iowa City look as if a riot swept through town.
Authorities have yet to declare that a tornado hit the heart of town. But whatever it was wind, hail, rain, a tornado it left destruction in its wake. Thankfully, only a handful of injuries have been reported.
Thousands of residents, mostly college students, were roaming the streets surveying the damage in the storms aftermath, shooting digital pictures and struggling to get cell phone service. Those whose homes have been damaged are being sent to the City High gym to take shelter for the night. The University of Iowa has cancelled Friday classes, the state has mobilized the National Guard, and every available Iowa City Police officer is on the clock.
Authorities at this hour are clearing out the pedestrian mall and surrounding areas because of gas leaks in the vicinity of the Martinis and Union bars. Sgt. Troy Kelsay of the Iowa City Police Department said there were some reports of looting and that some storefront windows were broken out, but it isnt clear if that damage was intentional or weather related.
MidAmerican Energy scrambled to contain the gas leaks and to restore power outages, mainly on the southeast side of town and along Summit Street. MidAmericans Terry Smith said the storm knocked out power to 5,000 customers.
The worst of the destruction seems to have been on Riverside Drive and Governor, College and Burlington streets:
The historic Dairy Queen on Riverside Drive was completely demolished.
Its lost, said Kurt Friese, whose wifes family had run the store for 54 years. Only the cinder blocks remain.
Friese said three employees and a family of four luckily escaped injury by taking cover in the basement.
Across the street at Hartwig Dodge, several car windows were broken out and at least on vehicle was on its side.
Its devastating, absolutely devastating, said Angie Hartwig, the wife of Hartwig part-owner Greg Hartwig. She was on the verge of tears as her husband surveyed the damage with a flashlight.
At Clinton and Burlington streets, several cars were overturned and a shed yes, a shed was lying in the intersection of Clinton and Burlington streets. It appears to have come from the roof of one of the surrounding buildings.
At Washington and Governor streets, the east wall of the Alpha Chi Omega house collapsed, exposing the rooms to the elements. Downed power lines are strewn across that intersection.
At St. Patricks Catholic Church on Court Street, half of the roof of the building has been ripped off completely.
The Menards store on Highway 1 also has serious roof damage, with customers dashing to the center of the store as the storm blew through.
The area hit by the storms is home to many college-aged renters who watched the storm come through.
Jon Keller, 25, said he saw a tornado from his apartment on the northeast corner of Burlington and Linn streets. Keller went to his window after his power went out, and saw a tornado coming east on Burlington Street.
He pulled his couch on top of himself as the roof of the building was being torn off.
I was praying, he said. I was hiding under the couch, and the phone got sucked out from under the couch
Chris Gelbuda was in his apartment at 400 S. Dubuque St., across from St. Patricks.
We were sitting on my front porch watching the whole thing come in, he said. We were watching and watching and watching and then it got silent and all the rain and hail stopped. We were staring right into (a funnel cloud) and it was like a freight train coming right at us. Before we knew it we were panicking. We ran into our building and into the basement.
The lightning was green and we could see the lightning through the funnel cloud.
Once again, the National Weather Service has not yet confirmed that Iowa City was hit by a tornado, but Iowa City Fire Inspector Steve Stimmel said that if the tornado is confirmed, it would be the first to hit Iowa City.
Here is another report on the damage caused by the tornado that ripped through downtown Iowa City earlier this evening.
I know for many of us this town was a big part of our lives for several years during college. For me, Iowa City was my home for 20 years of my life! It will always be my home. I can't even put into words what I'm feeling right now.
My thoughts are with all of my friends and family in Iowa City, and with all of you who know this town so well.
April 14, 2006, 12:04AM
Tornadoes Rip Through Eastern Iowa
By TODD DVORAK and JOE NUGENT Associated Press Writers
2006 The Associated Press
IOWA CITY, Iowa Severe storms ripped through eastern Iowa on Thursday night, spawning tornadoes, high wind and hail that crushed homes and cars, toppled trees and cut off power to thousands.
No major injuries were immediately reported. Residents sifted through debris downtown and in several neighborhoods.
"We're in disaster mode," an Iowa City dispatcher said.
At the University of Iowa, which the National Weather Service said was hit by one tornado, students were assessing the damage, including downed trees.
Andrew Loffswold fled his apartment when he heard the howling winds of an oncoming twister grow louder. When he returned, his second-story apartment was in shambles, its roof torn off and its contents turned upside down.
"I'm just trying to salvage anything I can," said Loffswold, a 19-year-old student from Sioux City.
Nine other nearby apartments suffered major damage.
University spokesman Steve Parrott said classes have been canceled for Friday while crews repair the campus and clear debris.
Downtown, severe winds blew cars around, and a roof collapsed at a pedestrian mall, police said.
The weather service reported tornadoes in Tama, Linn, Muscatine and Johnson counties, with much of the damage occurring in Iowa City.
Officials were keeping an eye out for more tornadoes in east-central Iowa on Thursday night, Donavon said.
The storms swept through northern Illinois, knocking down trees and power lines and prompting tornado warnings.
At least one tornado was spotted on the ground in Mercer County and 80 mph winds were reported in Warren County, where a roof was ripped off a building, the weather service said.
