Iowan Nick Bergus remembers being caught off guard by the derecho that pummeled his home state on Aug. 10, 2020, with hurricane-force winds, leaving billions of dollars in damage in its wake.

The derecho, which raced through the Midwest and focused its attention on Iowa, led to $7.5 billion in damage. That's more expensive than some hurricanes.

Tens of thousands are still without power in the aftermath of the storm system that slammed the state last week, flattening homes, buildings and countless acres of farmland.

A powerful windstorm flattened crops, toppled trees and crumpled grain silos. Days later, communities are still assessing the damage.