ORANGE CITY, Iowa — A powerful storm swept through northwest Iowa, causing significant damage in Orange City in Sioux County, as it moved from South Dakota to Wisconsin and on to Illinois.

The storm, which hit on Monday night, brought fierce winds that split trees in half, leaving roads, sidewalks, and properties covered in debris.

“It wasn’t even the sounds of gusts of wind. It was just this constant, something’s coming,” said Kyle Cleveringa, a resident of Orange City. “I looked outside. Tops of trees started cracking. The roads were completely covered.”

Cleveringa described the storm as the scariest he had ever experienced, prompting him to seek shelter in his basement.

“I’ve witnessed some tornadoes from a distance before, sitting in a garage and you watch the storm roll by. This was one where I went to the basement because I was scared, not because I was supposed to,” he added.

Despite the intensity of the storm, Cleveringa’s house remained intact, with only some branches scattered in the yard. He confirmed that his friends and family were safe.

In response to the storm, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a disaster relief proclamation covering Hancock, O’Brien, Osceola, and Sioux counties. This allows affected households to receive up to $7,000 for car repairs, replacement of personal property, and temporary housing if needed.

The disaster relief efforts are expected to assist residents in recovering from the storm’s aftermath, as cleanup and repairs begin in the affected areas.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WHO 13 News. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WHO 13 News staff before being published.