Brain Remembers the Damage From the 2020 Derecho

Five years ago this Sunday, a storm like few have seen tore across Eastern Iowa, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. If you weren't familiar with the term 'derecho' prior to August 10th, 2020, you won't forget it now.

I was home with our three kids that day. My wife Holly was on the first day of a brand new job with Unity Point St. Luke's. I remember watching KCRG TV-9 with the kids and preparing for a strong line of thunderstorms to move through. But the winds that soon came didn't simply pass by...they got stronger. I told the kids to grab the pets and prepare to go to the basement. When we saw a large oak tree fall into the street, I knew it was time to take cover.

While in our basement, I tried to keep the kids calm. But with the noises we heard, it wasn't easy. And then when the large Walnut tree outside our house came crashing down into our home, it was panic mode. With the world crashing down around us, we stayed in our basement for what seemed like an eternity. And when we finally came back upstairs, our neighborhood was changed forever.

According to a report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, much of Eastern Iowa had seen sustained winds of 70 miles per hour for nearly an hour. Five counties experience winds between 100 and 140 miles per hour.

The impact on trees and farmland was staggering. The DNR says that nearly 2.67 million trees were killed or damaged during the 2020 derecho. In the Cedar Rapids-Marion area, 50 to 65% of the tree canopy was destroyed. Nearly 850,000 acres of crops across Iowa were also destroyed.

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The number of homes and businesses damaged in the storm was staggering. More than 1,000 homes in Cedar Rapids alone were uninhabitable. 98% of the power in Linn County was out for days and weeks. Many city streets were impassable due to downed trees. The Iowa Insurance Division stated that nearly $3 billion in claims were issued due to the 2020 derecho.

The images and videos are still hard to look at for many. Our landscape was transformed forever. Our neighborhood in Marion used to be lined with large shade trees. They are all gone. Recently planted saplings have taken their place.

Our home, like many, underwent significant repairs. It took many residents years to get their property back to normal. The 2020 derecho is a storm I don't want to see the likes of ever again.