worldUpdated: Oct 18, 2020, 23:50 ISTDamage estimates from a rare wind storm that slammed Iowa and some other parts of the Midwest in August are growing, with the total now at $7.5 billion, according to a new report. The August 10 storm hit Iowa hard but also caused damage in Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota and Indiana. The storm, known as a derecho, generated winds of up to 140 mph (225 kph) that flattened millions of acres of crops. National Weather Service meteorologist Allan Curtis told the Des Moines Register that the derecho caused such extensive damage because it lasted for roughly 14 hours and hit crops when they were especially vulnerable. He said the damage would have been significantly less if the derecho had occurred in the spring, before crops were tall enough to be caught by the wind.

Source: Hindustan Times October 18, 2020 18:20 UTC