Clean up efforts are underway in Rockwell after a powerful storm rolled through the area early Tuesday morning.
City officials say at one point early today, almost every street in town was blocked by fallen trees/branches, the power was out across the city, as well as internet services. The Five Star Cooperative received damage and the Rockwell Police Department says there are several trees down at Linn Grove Cemetery, damaging some headstones as a result.
RadioOnTheGo News spoke late this morning with Rockwell Mayor Larry Wentz, who says the storm rolled through just after midnight Tuesday.
“A lot of trees either uprooted or snapped. A lot of large limbs that have broken. Yeah, a lot of just branches and limbs that are just snapped and broken down. Got some power lines down. Mid-America and Mediacom both have lines down. There is some damage to homes. I’ve seen a couple homes damaged, nothing major. I mean just a couple holes in roofs, stuff like that. There’s been some shed damage, some vehicle damage.”
Rockwell residents can take their tree debris to a location just north of the catholic church, or they can put the debris in the right-of-way for pickup. Wentz says clean up efforts will continue beyond today.
“Yeah, we’re still looking at stuff. We’re working on different options for other debris like garbage and if there’s a dumping place for anybody else that has damaged equipment or property. We’re looking into other options. But right now, we just appreciate everybody’s help with just being neighborly. And it’s been a great community outreach to everybody. And we’ve contacted as many tree services as we could. Many have said, ‘yep,’ they’ve committed to us to get in town. They’re gonna help us get to the city trees taken care of and they’re gonna help out as many homeowners as possible as well.”
Wentz says traffic needs to be limited in Rockwell as the clean up is underway. Water will be available for residents to pick up at city hall Tuesday afternoon.
More information on clean up efforts in Rockwell can be found on the police department Facebook page or the City of Rockwell Facebook page.
*Updated at 12:20 with additional information from Rockwell Mayor Larry Wentz
(Photo courtesy of the Rockwell Police Department)
