More storms continued to develop over the course of that same day. The worst of the tornados, an F5 storm with winds reaching speeds of up to 318 miles per hour landed at Elkhart Indiana and destroyed the Sunnyside subdivision killing over 30 people. One of the funnel clouds was a colossal eight hundred yards wide, leaving a trail of devastation in its path. Telephone and electrical lines where knocked out by the high winds. The phone system was down and, as a result, local city officials where unable to warn others in the path of the storm of the severe danger. The day progressed and tornados hit many other counties. The damage from all these rapidly occurring storms was devastating.

The impact that these storms had on the area was huge. The U.S. weather bureau conducted a full investigation after the storm and established the need for better methods to communicate warnings to residents and officials in other areas of approaching storms. It was just a little while after this that the Weather Service started to put out announcements indicating that tornados where likely to form and where they were traveling once they had hit the ground.

The economic consequences of these storms were felt in all three states. Houses where completely destroyed, and all the major utilities took damage. Local businesses had to close and effect repairs and millions of dollars had to be spent to clean up the mess that was left by the roving storms. The loss of business and personal information alone can hardly be calculated.

Once again local residents and business across the three states where caught by surprise and hurt or killed as a result. Tornados by there very natures are extremely hard to forecast. Unlike other storms that can be seen as they approach, a tornado can, in effect, form right on top of you and hit you when you least expect it. The need to take proper precautions is essential to ensuring the safety of local residents and businesses. Yet even that may not be enough. Protecting your own business infrastructure, records and information can be an essential component to your own recovery process in the event a major disaster strikes.

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There’s a new tornado in the news which had a bad outcome.

A tornado slammed a Boy Scout camp in the remote hills of western Iowa on Wednesday, killing at least four people and injuring 40, most of whom were on a hike when the twister struck.

All of the children had been accounted for late Wednesday, after rescuers cut their way through downed trees and debris to reach them, said Russ Lewrenson of the Mondamin Fire Department

You can read the full article about this devistating event here.

photo by pingnews

Edit – It’s been raining like mad out here for what seems like the last week. Once it dries up, photos will be taken…

Edit – Umm…. I’m lazy. And busy. I will take pics. I promise. Hopefully before the 2nd year anniversary.

Deputy Hynes with the Johnson County Sheriff Department instructs pedestrians to keep clear of a suspected gas leak in the Ped Mall on Thursday night.
Nick Loomis/The Daily Iowan

UI sophomore Justin Welsh takes a picture of his friends Josh Nanman and Nick Meyers with an overturned car near the intersection of Burlington and Clinton Thursday night.
Nick Loomis/The Daily Iowan

Learn how to survive tornados here.

A funnel cloud begins to dissipate after creating damage across Iowa City, doing major damage to downtown and residential neighborhoods, on Thursday night.

Two people clean out belongings in their car which was smashed by a tree on Johnson St. between Iowa Ave. and Washington St.
Beth Skogen/The Daily Iowan

Things are scattered in West Bank on the corner of Dubuque St. and Burlington St.
Beth Skogen/The Daily Iowan

People flock the streets and pass the damaged Sweet Livin’ Antiques after the tornado.
Beth Skogen/The Daily Iowan

Power lines hang in limbo on Governor Street after a violent storm swept through the Iowa City area on Thursday, Apr. 13, 2006.
Ben Roberts/The Daily Iowan

Alpha Chi Omega sorority was gutted by Thursday’s storm at the corner of Washington and Governor streets, Apr. 13, 2006. The Red Cross supplied beds and cover at the IMU for those who lost their homes.
Ben Roberts/The Daily Iowan

Source:
The Daily Iowan

Iowa tornado history
The three deadliest tornadoes in Iowa history all occurred in the 1800s.
“¢ A tornado June 3, 1860, in Camanche, near Clinton, killed 134 people.
“¢ A tornado June 17, 1882, in Grinnell killed 100.
“¢ A tornado July 6, 1882, in Pomeroy, in northwest Iowa, killed 89.
The record for most tornadoes in one year in Iowa is 120 in 2004.
The record for fewest number of tornadoes in a year is 18 in 1996.
The record for a month is 57 in May 2004.
The record for most tornadoes in one day is 28 on April 11, 2001.
Source: Iowa state Climatolgist Harry Hillaker

Other stories regarding the tornado that ripped through Iowa City and the University if Iowa…
Thursday’s tornado may be a ‘record breaker’
Iowa City continues cleaning up storm damage
Debris Clearing Under Way In Iowa City
Damage Assessment Continues In Tornado-Ravaged Iowa City
911 calls relive storm terror
Vilsack To Request Tornado Help During Meeting With Bush
Damage Estimates Run At More Than $10M

Iowa City tornado damage at $3.6M
The cost to repair damages to Iowa City buildings after Thursday’s tornadoes has been estimated at $3.6 million, but city officials said final estimates may be much higher.

“These are just preliminary estimates,” Iowa City manager Steve Atkins said during a council work session Monday. “There is a great deal of damage you can’t see.”

Atkins said the estimates were based on the cost to replace damaged structures to the city’s eight public properties after the two tornadoes that swept through Iowa City. The properties are: Court Street Transportation Center, Iowa City Public Library, Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center, Senior Center, Senior Center pedestrian bridge, Wilson Building U Smash-Em, Old Capitol Towne Center parking ramp and the Sheraton Hotel parking ramp.

The estimates were submitted in an application for financial assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Atkins also said city engineers plan to appraise the damages on the buildings a second time to get a more accurate number.