Note: Today’s story is true. I experienced and lived it. This is the best summary of what the national media has NOT told you about last week’s land hurricane in the Midwest called a derecho. Kenneth Kersey
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- Robin Sievers, Guest Author
On Monday, August 10, 2020, a category 3 land hurricane (derecho) swept its destruction across the Midwestern United States. Beginning in South Dakota it followed a path at least 700 miles long and at least 60 miles wide.
In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, we sustained 100-124 mph winds for 40+ minutes! We had 20 minutes notice this was coming our way1. There was no time to prepare…and, because hurricanes don’t happen on land, our homes and building here were not built to withstand hurricane strength winds. As a result…the damage is tremendous!
You may think, “I don’t really even know where Iowa is”; or, “It’s just fields to fly over, so it can’t be that bad”; or, ”The news isn’t really saying much about it so it can’t be that big of a deal!"
But, you would be wrong! This storm devastated the state of Iowa and the people who live here; its impact will be making its way to your family’s table and into your wallet! This storm will impact the climate, the eco-system, and the economy. Allow me a moment to explain.
Iowa is the breadbasket of the United States. Our soil here is some of the richest in the world. Drop a seed on it, and it will surely grow here. And, grow its does… to the tune of millions of pounds of food people here in our country and other countries beyond our borders eat.
This storm has threatened the food supply of our nation and abroad. 10 MILLION ACRES OF FOOD IS NOW GONE!
The storm flattened the fields of corn which stood tall, over one’s head. There will be NO harvest. The corn crop normally provides food for people, feed for livestock, corn oil, corn syrup, ethanol, etc. There are many, many products made from corn. And, it has also destroyed soybean crops. And, that’s not all. Many farmers, generational farmers, are now saying they will have to quit farming as this loss is too great. They have been hit by many factors and other devastating weather issues in the past years, and many have said they are done. The rich black topsoil has been eroded by these hurricane winds, and the loss of 10 MILLION TREES here will mean changes in our climate that will impact the growing of crops going forward.
But ok, let’s say you’re still not convinced this storm has anything to do with you…
Do you like food? Do you want reasonable prices for the items you buy? Do you care about being able to buy your favorite products…eat some of your favorite foods?
Iowa is the world’s largest cereal producer. Yes, we are small in size, but we are mighty!
Quaker Oats, National Oats, and General Mills are located here. Do you like Cheerios? Captain Crunch? How about Betty Crocker and Pillsbury? Like Bisquick? How about Hagen Das? Maytag? Amana? Whirlpool? The country doesn’t seem to understand what they have lost.
Livestock cannot be located…they blew away? Ten million acres of food is now gone. Farmers cannot recover from this. Well, then who is going to farm this land then? That threatens future years. And, with the Iowa “black gold” badly eroded, what will happen to the future yields?
How about the ecosystem and climate? Do you care about that? Do you care about wildlife? Ten million trees just came down! That’s a lot of lost habitats for lots of animals. That’s a huge loss of oxygen and moisture those trees provided. Completely shaded neighborhoods have lost their trees and shade, and what’s left is burning up in the late summer heat.
Do you have compassion for others? Does it bother you at all that people don’t have power to run oxygen tanks, and that people can’t find insulin? Our clinics are closed and 911 is not operational. (Remember, like you, we are also dealing with the coronavirus.)
Over 800 homes, just in our town of the many homes destroyed, have already been condemned, and shelters are still not yet in place. Where are the people affected by this to go? Hotels are full, and a lot of gas would be needed in order to travel far enough away. It is fortunate that gas has become easier to find in the last few days, but once town is exited, there are few stations open, and many are out of gas. The day of the storm many semi-trucks, carrying supplies and fuel, were blown over on the interstate by the strong winds. Every one of the 30+ school buildings in Cedar Rapids have been damaged, some so seriously it will be months before repairs are completed. Schooling will have to be a completely on-line operation.
One would think this situation would be a 24-hour news story. The destruction is on a level of Katrina. But, this derecho affected an in-land area; we are not a tourist location on the coast.
Few traffic lights are operating, so most intersections are now considered 4-way. As you drive on the streets that are possible to navigate, you can see lots of standing houses…but what you may not see is the backside of them. There is a two-story house close to my parents that has no roof and a completely open back side! You may not easily see the water damage inside homes, etc. Lots of businesses appear to be ok as you drive by, until you realize that what you see across the street is the contents of that business that blew away out of their roof! And, then there are still many just plain completely destroyed structures. The hard thing that I think is difficult for outsiders to understand is that EVERY STRUCTURE AND HOUSE AND SCHOOL has sustained damage in our town! So, that is talking about 130,00 homes that need repair, new electrical run, new roofs, new siding, new windows, etc., etc.
This area was already economically hit hard by the pandemic (COVID-19) and large unemployment numbers. Now more people are unemployed. Many of the damaged and destroyed businesses won’t ever reopen. Personally, we are one of a lucky few, as my husband is a contractor. He’s now busier than ever…but, many others are in a different situation.
Please care enough to send this forward to your Congressman, Governor, media outlets, etc., etc. We need help! AND, WE HAVE NEEDED HELP SINCE MONDAY, AUGUST 10! Where is the help and government response? This affects you, too. If for no other reason, you should care about your own pocketbook and the security of your family’s food supply!
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THE LORD IS IN CONTROL!!!
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. John 3:8 NIV
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB
Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. 1 Chronicles 16:11 NLT
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If you liked this story and would like a copy of either of my books,
they are available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle format.
tIf you have a story or testimony that you think might bless others,
I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.
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