Photos & Video: Severe Weather Sweeps Through Eastern Iowa

By Mark Geary, Justin Foss & KCRG-TV9 Staff

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Apr 26, 2009 at 6:38 PM CST

Story Updated: Apr 29, 2009 at 2:50 AM CST

LINN COUNTY - Severe weather, including at least one tornado, cut a path across eastern Iowa late Sunday afternoon. The twister touched down around 4:50 PM just east of Center Point and west of Central City. KCRG-TV9 First Alert Storm Team meteorologists say that the tornado moved into Delaware County then lifted.

Mike Goldberg, Linn County's emergency coordinator, says the tornado swept through the northeast part of the county. Damage reports included campers that were destroyed at Pinicon Ridge Park near Central City.
Sundays are typically pretty quiet at the Pinicon Ridge Park campgrounds, there were only about a dozen campers there and everyone made it out safely and survived the tornado without getting hurt.

A last minute decision to leave the campground could have saved Mary Rusk's life. “We just all of a sudden decided to go so we are very fortunate." The tornado flipped over her and her husband's camper and ripped off the sides. "We're very lucky, that's why we have insurance but it still kind of makes you sad."

The Rusk's are avid campers and knew it was too risky to stay, so they fled when the wind gusts started to scare them. "We always leave. There's a lot of people who don't and they take their chances. But I figure, you only have one life, better to be safe than sorry.”

Unlike most tornadoes, witnesses say this one was silent. Aaron Batchelder is a park ranger who lives just a few blocks away from all the damage didn't hear a thing. "I actually live up the hill and I didn't have any wind at my house. It was pretty quiet, but the pictures here speak a much different story."

The park ranger has decided to close the park Sunday night to protect all the tornado victims belongings. Officials hope to reopen at least a portion of the park Monday.

The tornado took down a lot of trees just north of Central City. It took the Flitsch family by surprise. "My little brother called me - he's in Alburnett. He said get in your basement, there's a tornado headed your way,” said Mike Flitsch.

Running inside to the basement, they snapped photos of the tornado coming right at them. Flitsch said he saw the tornado coming, then it appeared to go back up into the sky. "We were down there 5 minutes and thought it must be over. Then we heard a big pop and stuff flew through the house,” said Flitsch.

Flitsch said the winds blew insulation on them from the attic, and blew out several windows. No one got hurt but there is a lot of clean-up.

Just up Highway 13, more damage.

The Greif family was on their way back from Wisconsin when the tornado hit. Inside the mess in their backyard are two campers. A few of their outbuildings and trash were blown thousands of feet away. "It's pretty bad, a lot of damage, a lot of dollars worth of damage,” said Arnold Greif.
At least on this night, clean-up is free, thanks to some good friends at both places.

Sunday’s storms also knocked out power to about 4,500 people in Cedar Rapids. 2,500 customers lost power in Waterloo, including parts of the downtown area. The power went out around 4:30 Sunday afternoon. Mid-American Energy tells TV9 News two major circuits blew. MidAmerican crews restored the burned insulators and power was back in Waterloo a little after six Sunday night.

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