FEMA opens disaster recovery center in Pleasant Hill for victims of spring storms

As central Iowa residents recover from damage caused by spring tornadoes and other storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is opening a temporary Disaster Recovery Center this week to help them apply for aid.

The worst storm during that period was a May 20 EF4 tornado that touched down near Villisca, then traveled 40 miles northeast, killing a woman in a car near Corning before striking Greenfield, the Adair County seat, where it killed four more people, destroyed about 180 homes and damaged about 120 others, according to the Adair County Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA said in a news release that the center at Riley Resource Group, 4400 E. University Ave. in Pleasant Hill, will be open from 1-6 p.m. Monday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. It will serve people who suffered storm damage May 20-31, when heavy weather hit Polk and Story counties, as well as Adair, Adams, Cedar, Jasper and Montgomery counties.

Several other tornadoes touched down in central Iowa May 20. On the following day, another tornado, rated EF2, struck Johnston, damaging the high school and homes there. It traveled 41 miles northwest before dissipating, damaging homes and farms in both Polk and story counties.

Sections of central Iowa also suffered damage from high winds and flooding during the latter part of May.

Pleasant Hill, Council Bluffs disaster recovery centers also will assist victims of April 26, 27 storms

In addition, the center will assist homeowners and renters who experienced damage from April 26 and 27 storms. An EF2 tornado wrecked several homes in Pleasant Hill on April 26, and there also was damage in Clarke and Union counties.

Hardest hit was Minden in Pottawatomie County, where an EF3 tornado April 26 fatally injured a man and left 40% of homes damaged.

Storms those two days also caused widespread damage in Harrison, Mills, Ringgold and Shelby counties in southwest Iowa, and FEMA is opening a disaster recovery center at the Charles Lakin Human Services Campus, north parking lot, 815 N. 16th St. in Council Bluffs to serve people in those areas. It will be open the same days and hours as the Pleasant Hill center.

In addition to the disaster recovery centers, people eligible for aid can apply online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA app.

Staff writer Paris Barazza contributed to this article.

Ryan Magalhães is a reporter for the Register. Reach them at rmagalhaes@dmreg.com.