At least five tornadoes tore through central Iowa the afternoon of July 19, devastating several rural communities. Many homes and businesses in Marshalltown, Pella and Bondurant were destroyed. At least 17 people were treated for injuries; fortunately, no one was killed.

Iowans who are cleaning up from these tornadoes, the strongest to hit the state in three years, face a long road to recovery. They say they are thankful to be alive. The National Weather Service says a pair of EF3 tornadoes with wind speeds up to 144 mph swept through Pella and Marshalltown, while a less powerful EF2 tornado struck Bondurant.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds visited all three communities Friday. Assessing the damage in downtown Marshalltown, where the storm ripped the roofs off buildings and toppled part of the clocktower on the county courthouse, Reynolds noted: “This tornado damage, in Marshalltown, is certainly the most widespread.”

Damage resembles a war zone
Downtown Marshalltown businesses along with homes and businesses in surrounding neighborhoods took direct hits. Two schools and a hospital have extensive damage. The tornado struck Lennox Manufacturing, one of the town’s biggest employers, tearing out massive chunks of the factory which makes furnaces and air conditioners. JBS, a large processor of hogs, said trailers and railcars were flipped and a freezer that held 24 million pounds of pork was heavily damaged. “We will probably lose all of this product,” said general manager Todd Carl.

The National Weather Service office in Des Moines on July 20 said it received 27 reports of tornadoes as far north as Clarion and as far south as Ottumwa in three hours on Thursday. But some of those reports may refer to the same tornado, said NWS officials.

Some farms and fields in central Iowa received damage as well. Strong winds flattened cornfields — the extent of that damage is still being determined.

A miracle no one died
In Pella, Vermeer Corp., one of the city’s largest employers, sustained heavy damage to five buildings. Cars and trucks were tossed around the parking lots. The walls and roofs of some of the Vermeer factory buildings were missing. “It’s hard to put into words what we are seeing. It’s devastating damage,” said the governor, after she toured Vermeer. “It really enforces how lucky we are that no one was killed.”

Seven Vermeer employees suffered minor injuries and were released from the local hospital Thursday evening. At a press conference, Jason Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer, said he hopes to restart production sometime the week of July 23, and be running at half capacity by the end of the week.

More than 400 dealers and customers were visiting the Vermeer headquarters when the tornado struck about 4 p.m. First responders praised the safety protocols in place at Vermeer for protecting lives.

Impressive management of emergency
The storm came in the middle of a shift change at Vermeer. A tornado siren sent employees at the factory to take shelter. While in the concrete shelter, some watched weather radar on their phones. A moving red area on the screen indicated the approaching disaster.

Andringa pointed out the irony of the tornado. Many of the products Vermeer makes are used by first responders. Brush chippers are used to clean up downed trees; skid steer loaders and horizontal drilling tools are also used to help clean up natural disasters. “Now the unthinkable has happened to us,” Andringa said. “The process to rebuild starts now. I’m confident we are going to come back stronger than ever.”

It isn’t known yet how many employees will be out of work and for how long, he added. “We will do the best we can to make sure our employees know what opportunities there are for them to come back to work.”

Some lost vehicles, some are out of work
Company officials on Saturday were working on plans to allow Vermeer employees to return to retrieve cars in parking lots and other personal property such as cell phones. Vermeer is one of Pella’s largest employers. The family-owned firm has been headquartered there since Gary Vermeer founded it on the family farm 70 years ago. He is best known for inventing the big round baler.

While Pella was spared the residential destruction that hit Marshalltown and Bondurant during Thursday’s tornadoes, there is still need for aid in Pella. Some people lost vehicles and there are some who won’t be able to report back to work for a while. Thankfully, Pella doesn’t have the loss of homes like Marshalltown and Bondurant, but there’s still a need for help.

Governor issues disaster proclamation
The Iowa governor’s disaster proclamation, which Reynolds issued, directs the use of state resources to help towns recover. It also activates a state grant program for qualifying residents. Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will inspect the most heavily hit areas to determine eligibility for federal aid.

Meanwhile, thanks to the many local volunteers, cleanup is continuing in Pella, Bondurant and Marshalltown. Also, donors using redcross.org can specify that their gift be applied to relief efforts for their local chapter.