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Washington Evening Journal
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Storms damage Salem and New London properties
Hopeful stories of helpful neighbors spread after severe storms and a tornado ripped through Henry County Tuesday afternoon
MT. PLEASANT — Henry County residents hunkered down Tuesday afternoon as severe storms and at least one damaging tornado ripped through southeast Iowa, and as soon as the clouds began to clear, the communities set to work helping one another.
Just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, Mt. Pleasant Fire Department reported a tornado touched down southeast of Mt. Pleasant. The tornado then headed east along Highway 34 causing damage to the west side of New London and Salem.
Additionally, many parts of Henry County experienced prolonged power outages due to damaged power lines. Due to this lack of power, Salem Elementary did not hold classes Wednesday, April 17.
With a watchful eye on the weather for the week, New London Community Child Care Center Director Michelle Wilka said the center was able to prepare the children in their care for the storm and taking cover went off without a hitch.
“So, we usually start doing our inclement weather drills once a week in about February,” Wilka said. “So that way when we do have to do a real one the kids know what they’re supposed to do and where they’re supposed to go.”
When the storm watches turned into severe storm and tornado warnings, Wilka said, “the kids sat right up, made a line, and we filtered into our safe room.”
With most of the damage from the storm occurring northwest of the child care center, the event proved mostly uneventful for Wilka, her staff, the children, and parents. Just a short distance away in Salem, however, taking cover turned out more traumatic.
Salem resident Ann Tallman says she had just finished cleaning a home for a family that returned from vacation only 15 minutes before the storms rolled in.
“I just got done cleaning the house and left to beat the storm when I saw some storm chasers and people taking videos at the end of the road,” Tallman recalled.
When Tallman realized what people were doing and saw a tunnel cloud forming, she immediately called the woman of the home she just left and instructed her to take cover.
After the tornado ran through, Tallman returned to the home to find the third story completely missing, a large steel building obliterated, and holes exposing a second story bedroom to the sky.
“I’m very close with her,” Tallman said. “I haven’t stopped crying.”
Thankfully, no injuries were reported from the storms Tuesday afternoon, and both communities in New London and Salem hopped right in to help their neighbors that experienced damage.
Tallman’s husband and many community members quickly arrived to move out and store furniture and help the family navigate next steps. The same quick response was seen in New London with neighbors offering labor and supplies wherever needed.
Even New London Community School District jumped in to help their neighbors. While the district did let students out early Tuesday afternoon to avoid the storms, they mostly resumed classes the next day.
In a statement released to the public Tuesday evening, the NLCSD administration invited junior and senior high students to participate in cleanup efforts throughout the community instead of attending classes Wednesday, April 17.
“It's truly heartbreaking to hear about the devastation caused by the tornado late this afternoon,” the district statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected during this difficult time. We are so thankful that nobody was hurt during the tragic event.”
“Providing students with the opportunity to help with cleanup efforts not only supports the community but also instills a sense of empathy and responsibility in our students,” the statement continued.
While the storm and damage were awful, New London resident Gail Heater says she saw hope not only in the three different rainbows following the storm, but also the way the community came together.
Seeing the same rainbows, Samantha Strothman commented that the community coming together like that is just the “great thing about small town living.”
For those in New London with tree branches and limbs, the city will pick those up curbside Thursday, April 18. Residents with any other limbs or branches from the storm can drop them off at city lot south of the school’s football field on Adams Street.
For those throughout Henry County that experienced any kind of damage due to the storm, Emergency Management Coordinator Walt Jackson asks that they reach out to his office at (319) 385-1479 or wjackson@henrycountyiowa.us so he can add those homes to a list for the county.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
