Storm takes toll on trees, power system
Staff writer
Marion County was hit Aug. 14 by an intense thunderstorm that left damage across the county.
National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Metzger said the storm cut a swath directly through the center of the county with wind gusts of up to 65 mph.
Firefighters reported storm damage at Goessel and between Lincolnville and Lost Springs.
Power failures and limbs up to six inches in diameter were reported to be down.
Near Peabody, a semi-trailer truck hydroplaned into a ditch on US-50. The driver was uninjured.
A downed power line in Florence came to rest on a gas line and caused a water heater to glow. Firefighters shut off the gas and remained at the house nearly an hour until Evergy and Atmos Energy crews arrived.
Pilsen took a beating from the storm, with rain, hail, and heavy winds downing branches throughout town, Pilsen resident Debbie Steele said.
Pilsen resident Terry Silhan had parked his truck under a tree behind his house where it was shady.
“A huge part of the big tree fell and destroyed the truck,” neighbor Debbie Steele said.
Many residents of Pilsen spent Thursday cleaning up debris.
Friends took two loads of debris from Steele’s mother’s yard.
A neighbor told Steele Thursday it “looked like Armageddon had struck.”