Twenty years ago today, shortly after 8 p.m. on April 13, 2006, a devastating F2 tornado ripped through the heart of Iowa City, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
The cyclone traveled a roughly five-mile stretch through the city, first touching down near Walmart along Highway 1, making its way north, leaving more than 6,000 residents without power.
Damage was widespread, stretching beyond Burlington Street and east of the downtown district. The state of Iowa reported that nearly 1,000 homes in Iowa City sustained damage, with at least 300 destroyed or heavily damaged…