MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa- The dust has long settled after the Marshalltown tornado July 19th, -and so have a lot of homes' foundations.
Marshalltown city officials say they've identified 70 homes and businesses that are structurally unsound. Marshalltown's Housing and Community Development Director, Michelle Spohnheimer tells WHO Radio News, 53 of those are homes and the other 17 are businesses.
"We certainly hope that a number of them will be able to be repaired, but we know that some of them will be past that point, and will ultimately have to be demolished," said Spohnheimer.
She says it's not known how many will have to be demolished. The city has placed red posters on the properties, deemed unsound.
The EF-3 rated tornado July 19th cause extensive damage in Marshalltown. It had estimated peak winds of 144 miles per hour and it traveled for nearly nine miles.
Mid-Iowa Community Action tells WHO Radio they have worked with 550 families, impacted or displaced by the July twister.
Spokesperson Clarissa Thompson says the families minor losses, due to power losses, and others that saw their home extensively damaged or destroyed.
The agency coordinate the state's individual disaster assistance program. They're also using a 1.5 (M) million dollar fund to help as well. The agency is also accepting donations to support their efforts.
Tornado ravages northern Marshalltown
By Gary Barrett