Severe storms rip through Union County

Residents made their way out of their houses onto the streets to survey the damage to their neighborhoods. They walked from house to house picking up branches and sharing their experiences Tuesday evening.

While the National Weather Service has not confirmed a tornado touching down in Union County, local storm chasers claim they saw one at Green Valley State Park. The storm hit Creston shortly after 7:30 p.m. The Department of Natural Resources evacuated campers as the storm approached.

Many homes in Creston were left without power or internet as transformers blew and branches fell onto utility poles - even sparking flames.

The city sent out crews as the storm finished. “I know we had guys out, the city crews had guys out,” Creston Police Chief Paul Ver Meer said. “I think that went really well.”

Alliant Energy worked through the night to restore power to homes - some not coming back until nearly 4 a.m.

For one family, the storm was reminiscent of the one in 2012. The house on Cherry Street Road still stands untouched, but the metal machine shed lies in pieces.

A resident of the home said the building along with others on the property were destroyed in the tornado 10 years ago. She was planning to leave for Colorado today, but now has to delay her plans. There were two cars in the shed when the storm came through, but fortunately, were untouched.

Union County Emergency Management as well as the insurance agent both arrived at the site within the hour of destruction.

The public has been asking the same question - where were the sirens? Jo Duckworth with emergency management said that job falls to the city. After speaking with members of the Union County Sheriff’s Department, Duckworth made the call to not sound sirens in Kent, Cromwell or Arispe based on having no indication it was necessary.

Ver Meer said he hasn’t had the chance to speak with dispatchers yet to figure out why the sirens didn’t sound, but after he and Creston Fire Chief Todd Jackson met today to review what happened on Tuesday night, they came to the conclusion that a power outage at the Union County Law Enforcement Center prevented the sirens from sounding. They will be testing the sirens Thursday.

The Creston Street Department will be picking up downed tree limbs from last night’s storm damage. Property owners or tenants must have them placed in the right of way parallel to the street.