Powerful Derecho blasts Iowa to Indiana, leaving more than 200,000 without power

Friday, June 30, 2023

A powerful and destructive derecho has torn through the central United States, causing widespread damage and leaving over 200,000 people without power.

The storm system, characterised by hurricane-force winds and potential tornadoes, raced across Illinois at a remarkable speed of 70 mph, causing chaos along its path.

Multiple tractor-trailers were overturned on Interstate 57 in Illinois, though it remains unclear if there were any injuries.

Indianapolis also experienced gusts of up to 70 mph, leading to reports of downed trees and power lines throughout the city. By the evening, the storm began to weaken as it approached Cincinnati.

The derecho originated in northeastern Colorado and swept through southern Nebraska before intensifying over southern Iowa and northern Missouri. It then continued its eastward trajectory, pummeling Illinois and reaching Indiana by Thursday afternoon.

A derecho is characterised by a line of severe thunderstorms that produce sustained wind gusts of at least 58 mph over a distance of 400 miles or more. In some cases, gusts during such storms can exceed 100 mph.

The widespread power outages and extensive damage caused by this derecho highlight the dangerous and destructive nature of these weather phenomena.

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