HEAVY STORMS CAUSE DAMAGE IN THE REGION

CHAFFEE -- A thunderstorm packing heavy rain and winds estimated at 50 to 60 mph downed numerous trees in Chaffee early Monday night and caused power outages.

There was also some minor tree damage reported in Scott City. At least one tree was blown over near St. Joseph's Catholic Church. There were also several power outages there.

One Chaffee residence was damaged by a falling tree, said Chaffee Police Chief Ivan McLain. He said many other houses received minor damage when electric service lines were torn from the sides of the houses by falling trees or limbs.

The storm moved through town shortly after 7 p.m., dumping over 2 inches of rain in less than 45 minutes. The deluge caused temporary flooding of several low-lying streets.

"We had a couple of motorists who got off into the drainage ditches because they couldn't see the side of the road for all the water," McLain reported.

There were numerous reports of power outages throughout the city as the strong winds and heavy rain blew tree limbs and trees onto utility lines.

McLain said most of the tree damage seemed to be concentrated in the 200 and 300 blocks of West Yoakum near Circle Park. The chief said a large tree was blown onto a house in the 400 block of West Yoakum causing extensive damage to the residence.

But McLain said reports were received of trees being blown down in all parts of town. The chief said one of the trees was an 8-year-old pecan tree in his front yard. He said street department employees were called out to clear fallen trees that were blocking city streets.

The storm knocked out power at city hall, forcing the Chaffee City Council to call off its regular Monday meeting. The police station on the east side of city hall operated on emergency generator power from about 7:15 p.m. to 10:05 p.m.

McLain said the Chaffee Fire Department was called to numerous places to stand by live wires. There was a report of smoke in a house at 115 W. Parker after lightning struck the residence.

Firefighters were called out again around 10 p.m. to another residential fire, but no other details were available.

Because of the power outage at city hall, McLain said firefighters had to be dispatched first by the Scott County Sheriff's Department after they were called by the Chaffee police dispatcher.

"After they (firefighters) were on the air in their fire trucks, we were able to talk to them by radio and send them to their next call," the chief said.

McLain said 2.09 inches of rain fell in less than 45 minutes in one unofficial rain gauge in town.

A large marquee in front of the Chaffee Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall on South Frisco was blown across the street by the strong winds.

McLain estimated winds in the storm at 50 to 60 mph. Dave Jokerst, forecaster with the National Weather Service, said, based on radar echoes of the Chaffee storm received by St. Charles radar, the chief's estimate was "pretty reasonable."

As the storm moved through Chaffee, Mid-America Weather Services at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport recorded a peak wind gust of 38 mph. The airport measured 2.12 inches of rain in a 45-minute period. In downtown Cape Girardeau only .06 of an inch was reported.