Colorado cleans up after storm flipped trucks, small planes
DENVER — People on the plains of northeastern Colorado were cleaning up Monday from a powerful storm that swept through the state, ripping off roofs, flipping trucks and small airplanes, and damaging crops.
No serious injuries were reported. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service were surveying what was believed to be the worst of the damage to determine whether any of it was caused by tornadoes, which were reported by several spotters. Winds over 70 mph and hail up to the size of baseballs were reported.
The storm Sunday left a path of damage about 20 miles long and up to 10 miles wide in the eastern half of rural Morgan County, where corn crops and large sprinkler systems were damaged, Sheriff Jim Crone said.
Some were still waiting for power to be restored.
Trucks and other vehicles were blown off highways east of the town of Brush and on smaller roads elsewhere, the sheriff’s office said.
Crone has not heard of anyone who has lost their home, although some people could not stay in their houses until broken windows and other damage is repaired.
People were busy helping neighbors board up broken windows and pick up tree branches, he said.
“We’re pretty fortunate that these rural folks are pretty self-sufficient,” Crone said.
Video and photos from the airport in Brush show at least one airplane flipped over on its top and what appears to be a small building demolished. Video from KUSA-TV showed a large cottonwood tree pulled up from its roots and knocked over.
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner was headed home with his daughter Alyson when they saw the storm approaching.
After the temperature dropped by about 25 degrees and the clouds turned green, they stopped and took cover inside a store for about 45 minutes.