Strong overnight storms left more than 800 people without power Friday in Liberty, Missouri.
Cleanup began bright and early as downed trees and power lines were scattered in the streets near Melrose Lane.
During the day, the sound of chainsaws could be heard throughout the area as people removed limbs on top of their homes and littered in their yards.
Many people didn't expect to see the amount of damage they did Friday morning.
"You could just hear the wind constantly going, and then looking outside you couldn't hardly see anything but the shadows of the trees going back and forth," Liberty resident Ashley Crowley said.
The winds were so strong, Crowley's power box was ripped from the side of her home. Crowley and her husband made progress on cleanup, but both said they would like to see some help from the city of Liberty.
"Whenever you cut up your branches and limbs and put them on the curb, I know a lot of cities would pick them up. I was told that they will not do that, (that) they don't have the means to do that," Crowley said.
Strong winds blew the power box right off this Liberty home last night. pic.twitter.com/vx51rAPUz3
— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) August 16, 2019
The city of Liberty said it will open the tree limb yard site on new Missouri 210 for residents next week. The location is approximately half a mile east of Route 291.
The site will be open on the following days and times:
- 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 22
- 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23
- 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24
The city said to watch for signs and wants to ensure people bring proof of residency. Only tree limbs can be dropped off; no other yard waste will be accepted.
Many residents feel the city isn't doing enough to help people after the storm.
"We've got a trailer, no license plate on it, so it's kind of hard to get all this stuff and get it there," Daniel Crowley said. "Especially with how many loads that we're going to have to do, it's a little disheartening."
Two blocks over from the Crowley's home, the damage was worse. A tree in Brad Chesnut's neighbors yard split and fell onto his home.
"That's a bedroom there and the walls are cracked on the inside and knocked stuff off the walls," Chesnut said.
While many were dealing with cleanup and insurance claims on Friday, they were also preparing for the next round of storms.
"You think about it a lot, but as far as worrying about it, I'm not going to worry about it whatsoever," Chesnut said.
