JASPER COUNTY, Iowa — One week after a derecho tore through the state, communities across central Iowa are still picking up the literal pieces.
Monday morning, Jasper County lit its brush pile ablaze to burn up what's been picked up, and to make room for the things still left to clean.
"It literally looks like a tornado went through the entire middle swath of Iowa," Jasper County Board of Supervisors member Brandon Talsma said.
"A lot of people's livelihoods just gotten blown away in a 20 minute time span. It's just... it's just gone."
To help with cleanup efforts, Jasper County has now opened a plot of land dedicated exclusively to debris-dumping, many of which have made several trips to already.
Talsma said he knows the community will band together in these trying times, as they've always done before.
"I think this is what Iowa is about. It's about neighbors helping neighbors and strangers helping strangers. It's about us pooling what assets and resources we each individually have and coming together to try and help out people who are in need of help," Talsma said.
"We're Iowa. We'll get through it."
According to Talsma, as of Sunday night, all medical facilities in Jasper County have been taken off generators and have had power fully restored.
Talsma also passed along a message to Jasper County citizens from road crews, saying how appreciative they are of the food and cold drinks the people have been giving them while they've been cleaning up these last several days.
If you or someone you know needs help in Jasper County, call 641-521-2034.
The site is open to residents living in unincorporated areas of Jasper County.
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