emergency

A year ago this month, a powerful derecho devastated communities across Iowa. Among the hardest hit were refugee families in Cedar Rapids, where many are still struggling to recover from the storm. Some say their lives have been forever changed.

Host Charity Nebbe and her guests discuss emergency preparedness and what Iowans should be equipped with to properly respond when disaster strikes.

Host Charity Nebbe and her guests discuss emergency preparedness and what Iowans should be equipped with to properly respond when disaster strikes.

The derecho that hit Iowa last month devastated parts of rural Iowa, leaving some homes unlivable and flattened crop fields. The destruction on some farmsteads is so extensive, it's changing the very landscape. Not all will rebuild what they've lost.

FEMA has approved individual assistance for an additional 10 Iowa counties three weeks after the powerful derecho hit the state. The delay had raised some concerns among residents and officials in rural Iowa that their communities would not get the aid, which they say is sorely needed.

In the wake of the derecho, so far FEMA has only granted federal disaster assistance to individuals in Linn County. Meanwhile, in next door Benton County, residents are still reeling from the devastating impacts of the storm, and feel abandoned by state and federal officials.

The rare and powerful derecho storm that clobbered Iowa earlier this month came with little warning, but packed the punch of Category 4 hurricane. In the wake of the storm, some Iowans are reassessing how to better warn the public of future storms.

The powerful derecho storm that hit Iowa on August 10 has been called unprecedented and unique. A Cedar Rapids meteorologist shared her account with IPR of forecasting the historic storm and where she thinks the National Weather Service warning system fell short.

Two weeks after a powerful derecho storm blasted through Iowa, just under two thousand Iowans are still without power. That's a marked improvement from the immediate wake of the storm, when more than half a million were left in the dark.

Scores of refugee families have transitioned into shelters and hotels, after living for days in and among buildings deemed unlivable after last Monday's derecho. Refugee advocates, service providers and local officials have worked with families to address concerns and find short-term housing solutions.