A Derecho hits the M Simpson students are still impacted by the August 2020 Midwest Derecho.
It began in southeast South Dakota and eastern Nebraska. In the span of 14 hours, the August 2020 Midwest Derecho moved over 700 miles, stretching across Iowa, Indiana, and parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. A derecho is a severe windstorm caused by thunderstorm clusters during hot, humid weather conditions. Frequently compared to inland hurricanes, Derechos are characterized by high speed winds, torrential rainfall, hail, tornadoes and flooding. Moving in a straight line, they are capable of causing wind damage extending over 240 miles at 58 mph. The damage was so extensive and widespread, in fact, the office of Iowa governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for over 25 counties, activating the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Management Program. Former President Donald Trump also approved a declaration of a major disaster in Iowa, ordering federal assistance to aid in the recovery process. On top of living through a pandemic, civil unrest, and growing political tension, there are Simpson students who are still impacted by the derecho’s extensive damage, even in the months afterward. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, business management and health services leadership student Abby Ruby was with her grandmother when the derecho hit. “Over the summer, I take care of my great grandma,” Ruby said. “With COVID, my family needed extra help. My stepdad has health problems, so I stay with [my great grandma] during the summer. I was with my grandma and we just finished eating lunch. Then the power went out, and I thought, ‘Oh, it should be fine.’ I didn’t know it was gonna be that bad.” According to Ruby, the southwest side of Cedar Rapids was hit first and hit harder. Her grandmother’s area --the northwest side--was able to recover quicker, with
25
