(Clarinda) On Thursday, April 17, at around 8:40 p.m., and EF-1 tornado touched down in Fremont County southeast of Randolph, before moving into northeast Page County. According to the National Weather Service in Omaha and local assessments, the tornado caused significant damage before lifting east of Nyman around 9:08 p.m..
The key impacts included:
*One residential home was destroyed
*Two agricultural structures sustained significant damage
*The tornado damaged approximately 43 additional structures
*The tornado caused widespread power outages due to downed trees and power lines
Local City and county officials and the Essex Volunteer Fire and EMS Department responded immediately with door-to-door searches of the impacted area. Emergency Management coordinators from Cass, Clarke, and Montgomery Counties arrived Friday morning to assist with preliminary damage assessments. Additionally, the American Red Cross was on-site Friday morning and continues to assist affected residents.
In response to the tornado, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, activating the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for Page, Fremont, Buena Vista, and Plymouth Counties.
This program provides up to $7,000 in state-funded grants to eligible households for:
*Temporary Housing
*Food Assistance
*Personal Property replacement
*Home Repair
Eligibility Requirements include the following:
*Annual Household income is at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty Level
*Household members are U.S. citizens or legally in the U.S.
*The primary, occupied residence is located in a county named in the disaster proclamation
*Disaster-related needs are not fully covered by insurance or another assistance program
To learn more to apply, visit www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance /#
(File Photo)
