Dust storm causes damage in Henry County

MT. PLEASANT — The sky grew dark, winds picked up, and dust began to fill the air in Henry County the evening of Sunday, May 7, as severe storms with winds up to 70 miles per hour, hail, and blackout conditions caused damage throughout the area.

According to Emergency Management Coordinator Walt Jackson, the storm caused some loss of power, broken windows, fallen trees, and some vehicle damage throughout the county.

Even after such an intense storm, however, some residents still saw a beautiful double rainbow as the sun began to peak out and they assessed the damage.

“Hy-Vee gas station got the glass blown out the front,” Jackson said.

Many found their lawn furniture and trampolines throughout their neighborhoods.

Mt. Pleasant Youth Baseball Fields received major damage from the storms.

Due to damage, opening day ceremonies are canceled and Mt. Pleasant Youth Baseball will look for alternative locations for games until the fields are back in game-shape.

Pizza Ranch employees huddled in the restaurant as they lost siding and power like many others in Mt. Pleasant and New London.

“There are several areas in town that are currently without power and under repair,” Mt. Pleasant Utilities stated at 7 a.m. the morning following the storm.

Mt. Pleasant Utilities crews went to work to restore power and begin replacing poles and making other repairs following the storms. By 10 a.m. the following morning, residence had power again.

According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office a Semi-truck rolled over in the 2200 grid of Highway 34 during the storm.

“An investigation into the accident determined that Todd Heleine, 58 of white Heath, Illinois was driving a tractor-trailer West bound on Highway 34 when a wind gust blew the tractor-trailer onto its passenger side,” read a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office stated that the semi blocked the left west bound lane of Highway 34.

As Storm Chaser Zach Hall, from Arkansas, made his way through Mt. Pleasant following the cell, another vehicle struck him near South Main and Warren Street.

In a video of the accident, the audience can hear as hail begins to hit, and Hall warns those around him of the dangers of the impending storm.

According to Jackson, while concern existed for tornadoes, none were confirmed during these storms, however, conditions could qualify as a Haboob or dust storm.

The National Weather Service defines a Haboob as a strong thunderstorm with winds that can start produce dust that drastically reduce visibility and result due to the outflow winds of the system.

“I got pelted in the face by 60 mile per hour dirt,” New London resident Chevy Mills said while she snapped a picture of the storm rolling in.

According to Jackson, “most of the damage was caused by tree and debris.”

“Do some tree maintenance during the summer and the fall and get the dead stuff out of the trees because it seemed like a lot of the dead stuff fell on the neighbors roofs and such,” Jackson encourages residents. “That maintenance would help with the debris that falls out during these storms.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com