Winterset, Iowa — Madison County residents and volunteers are continuing to clean up from a deadly weekend tornado on the south edge of Winterset that killed six people.
Volunteers with equipment and chain saws were helping clean up Sunday at the home of Teresa Houg off Highway 169. She said her husband was going out to pull the car in the garage when the tornado hit Saturday evening.
Houg said she saw dark angry-looking clouds and it all happened very quickly.
Her husband Don said he was trying to get the car out of the hail when he heard the tornado.
They lost seven outbuildings and the upper portion of their log home blew off. Don Houg said it was much worse for their neighbors across the road.
Their neighbor — 67-year-old Rodney Clark — was one of the people who died. Houg said a large pile of rubble in
front of his home is all that is left of the Clark’s house. There are bits of pink insulation hanging from the branches of the trees left standing around their home. The other victims of the Winterstet tornado were identified as 63-year-old Melissa Bazley, 72-year-old Cecilia Lloyd, 37-year-old Michael Bolger, five-year-old Kinley Bolger, and two-year-old Owen Bolger. The Houg’s were overwhelmed by the people who turned out to clear trees and debris from around their home.
Governor Kim Reynolds toured the area and also commented on the people who showed up to help.
Madison County Emergency Management Coordinator, Diogenes Ayala had more details on the storm.
The governor issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources confirms one person died in the storm Saturday at Red Haw State Park in Chariton. The park had extensive damage and will be closed until further notice.
