derecho
- a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms and sometimes thunderstorms that moves across a great distance and is characterized by damaging winds.
On August 10th a record impacting Derecho came and dealt Iowa its most destructive storm in the states history. Over 6 million Midwesterners were left without power and over 10 million acres of farmland were destroyed. All during a pandemic no less. Here's images from around my neighborhood afterwards. Wind speeds were recorded to up 140 miles per hour as the surge lasted 45 minutes.
Alex watches out the window before the storm really got bad. We watched out the storm from out this very sliding door, concerned of the large branches, propane grills or flying patio furniture would break the glass.
After the storm struck i rode out on my bike to survery damage. I was nothing but shocked. I couldn't believe all the damage and what had happened. I nicknamed the storm 'the massacre of the trees' as it seemed nearly every tree in every direction was forcefully destroyed.
This man was 77 years old and was wielding a chainsaw, deconstructing this tree so traffic could get by.
Not just tree's but telephone poles were also a very common thing to be ripped from the earth and displaced. This was a power line and an entire roof lying in the street.
This is my personal favorite photograph from this whole situation. There is a car in the image. Can you believe that? There is a car in this picture, parked on the street.
This Tree was so large and so big that i could literally smell it from a block away. The soil, snapped wood and wet rain was a mix of sense that i will never forget for the rest of my life.
This woman was picking up items from an antique store that had its antiques blown everywhere. She lived upstairs from this and looked at me while i photographed the large tree that produced an intoxicating earthy odor. "That tree is older than i am" she said as she had a handful of items in her hands. "And don't ask me how old i am" she told me as she walked away.
Some large silos didnt even stand a chance in the winds path.
I can't even imagine what happened to this person(s) as their roof was just lifted off.
I walked by a tire shop that i always drove by. A man was picking up items and all i could say as i looked around was "holy shit". The man with hours old tears on his face lowly responded "yeah...pretty sad."
Semi's blown over and large power towers toppled down gave me opportunities to sneak snap shots while driving.
This kid swept debris out of the parking lot. "See that sign?" he asked me. "yeah" i responded. "That was our businesses sign."
A firefighter listens closely to his radio in response to a gas leak at a nearby house
My girlfriends brother is pictured here next to a large tree that happened to fall on both their house and their neighbors house. Seeing trees that had fallen on households was sadly common but still not shocking.
Cats peer out the window as firetrucks and an ambulance sirens sound out in the neihborhood.
I spy a park bench.
This man looks out towards the parking lot as people crowd into the store in frantic search for generators, chainsaws, chainsaw oil and supplies. The entire town was without power and i bought some lawn mower oil for a generator and everything was cash only.
Large parking lot lights lay broken and smashed.
A destroyed billboard.
flooded parking.
For the first time in probably many many years the night sky shines bright as the entire city of Cedar Rapids and all smaller surrounding towns have no lights.
Signs lay to waste.
The subtle touch of leaves and not branches.