A review of satellite imagery in the days following the July 19th tornado outbreak showed six additional EF0 tornadoes touched down in central Iowa.
According to the National Weather Service, an additional tornado spun up just to the northeast of Pella on the Mahaska/Marion County line, as it developed shortly after the main tornado crossed Vermeer Corporation into Mahaska county and moved due south on the backside of the larger EF-3 storm. It passed over a farmstead producing minor damage.
Vermeer Corporation reopened Plant 7 this week and have a majority of their workforce back on-site after the EF-3 tornado significantly damaged their campus a month ago.
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a letter Friday to be delivered to President Donald Trump, requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from the tornadoes on July 19th.
Reynolds requested funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for Marion, Marshall, Lee, and Van Buren counties. Public Assistance Program funding is used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities or to cover costs of emergency work during, and debris removal after, severe weather. Following a joint federal, state and local preliminary damage assessment of the four counties, it was estimated the tornadoes caused more than $6 million worth of damage that could be eligible under the Public Assistance program.
Stay tuned to KNIA/KRLS for the latest weather information.