Photo: Iowa DNR
(Lucas County, IA) -- Sunday marks the one year anniversary of a deadly E-4 tornado that hit parts of southern and central Iowa. The twister was blamed for ten deaths in Winterset and one in Red Haw State Park in southern Iowa's Lucas County. Chad Kelchen of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the twister caused $500,000 in damage. It destroyed 20-acres of trees including many mature, red oak trees, turning them into twisted rubble. He says since then, crews have been removing debris and have planted 1,000 trees.
The storm also took out multiple shelters and buildings and caused extensive damage to the Red Haw Park campground, which will remain closed this year as crews replace the electrical system.
Forty-year-old Jesse Fisher of Chariton died during the tornado. He was in an RV at Red Hawk State Park when the storm hit.