(Okoboji)– Residents are assessing the damage and beginning to clean up today (Sunday) following violent thunderstorms that tore through the Iowa Great Lakes between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. Saturday.
The storms produced wind that in many areas gusted in excess of 80 miles-per-hour. Boats on West Lake Okoboji were tossed like toys, some were literally blown out of their hoists only to wash up on shore later on the opposite side of the lake. Many docks were damaged or taken out completely. In some cases, large trees came down on top of homes, including one on Lakeshore Drive in Okoboji, but fortunately no injuries were reported.
Hardest hit areas appeared to be Pikes Point State Park, Terrace Park Beach, and Triboji Beach.
Power remained out to many areas early this (Sunday) afternoon. That has the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary Sewer District putting out a plea for people in those areas to refrain from using water as much as possible, as lift stations aren’t working.
The city of Lake Park has put out a similar plea to residents in that area served by Alliant Energy that still don hot have power.
Extensive damage was reported at Pick’s Resort in Arnolds Park.
The Dickinson County Green Waste Site is open special hours today (Sunday) from 11:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and Monday (7/19) from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. It’s located 3/4 of a mile east of St. Joseph Catholic Church on County Road A34 in Milford. Until further notice, there is no charge for private residents to drop off tree branches. Contractors, however, will still be charged.
Residents in Spirit Lake and Orleans can take branches to the tree dump site just east of Orleans. That site, however, is open to Spirit Lake & Orleans residents ONLY.
