McGREGOR, Ia. — An EF1 tornado tore through the small northeastern Iowa town of McGregor on Wednesday night, damaging several downtown buildings, according to the National Weather Service.
McGregor, a town of about 870 people on the Iowa-Wisconsin border, was hit by the tornado at about 6:15 p.m. The tornado had winds up to 110 mph, said Peter Rogers, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Most of the damage was concentrated in McGregor’s downtown area, Rogers said. At least two buildings sustained serious structural damage, but others had lesser damage, he said. McGregor’s City Hall was among the buildings damaged.
No injuries were reported, Rogers said.
Elsewhere in northern Iowa, powerful storms damaged homes, buildings and crop fields. Wind gusts to 75 mph and heavy rain were reported Wednesday evening in several locations. Residents and officials said trees and power lines were knocked down, leaving hundreds of people without electricity.
Authorities said a semitrailer was toppled on Interstate Highway 35 near Hanlontown, and a man was taken to a hospital in Waukon after his barn blew over, pinning him inside until rescuers arrived.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for four counties in northeast Iowa.
The governor’s office said Thursday that the proclamation covers Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette and Winneshiek counties raked by storms Wednesday.
The proclamation allows state resources to be used to aid in recovery efforts.
It also activates the Iowa Individual Assistance program for qualifying residents of the four counties. The program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The money can be used for such things as home and car repairs, temporary housing expenses or replacement of clothing or food.
The storms also caused storm damage and flooding across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The severe weather continued into Thursday morning.
In Wisconsin, several hundred people in the Trempealeau County city of Arcadia voluntarily evacuated flooded neighborhoods and the downtown area beginning about 2:30 a.m. Thursday, Mayor Robert Reichwein told the Associated Press. The evacuation included the overnight shift at Ashley Furniture, a major manufacturer in Arcadia, a city of 2,900 people about 45 miles north of La Crosse.
Reichwein said Turton Creek overflowed its banks, also flooding the city’s main thoroughfare, Highway 95. The Red Cross set up a shelter at a church for evacuees.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin, a mudslide closed part of Highway 95 near Fountain City. Numerous roads in Vernon and Buffalo counties were also affected by flooding.
In Minnesota, officials say mudslides or flooding have made parts of some highways impassable. Forecasters say up to 7 inches of rain fell overnight, triggering a flash flood warning.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
From Register staff and wire services
July 20, 2017
