National Weather Service photo of corn damage near Britt.
Winnebago and Hancock Counties in north-central Iowa were hit hard by storms Sunday evening — and farmers checking the crops this morning found lots of damage in the fields.
Significant damage was done in a swath as large as five miles wide and 15 to 20 miles long in Klemme. Winnebago and Hancock County Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Buffington, there is significant crop damage just northwest of Klemme caused by straight line winds and hail.
“There’s bean fields northwest of Klemme where there’s literally nothing left, there’s just the stalk of the bean plant, ” Buffington says. “The corn is broken off in areas 12 to 18 inches above the ground just from the high wind and hail that came through, breaking those plants off.” Damage assessments are still being done in Hancock and Winnebago Counties. Buffington reported that there was little damage in Winnebago County that has been reported. However, damage in Hancock County was not limited to just crops.
He says there were power lines, power poles and trees down on some properties. “No injuries thank goodness,” Buffington says, “at least none that have been reported. And again massive crop damage.” Buffington will be working with area officials to completely assess the situation from the Sunday night storms.
(Reporting by A J Taylor, KIOW, Forest City)