GRINNELL, Iowa -- Four Grinnell College students out for a run Tuesday were caught outside in a hail storm and had to be taken to the hospital.
Pat Crawford told KCCI that she and her husband were driving near Grinnell when they found one of the students along the road.
The student told Crawford that he, another man and two women tried to hide in a ditch when the storm hit, but they were forced to seek shelter when the hail became too intense. They were also worried they might drown as water started flooding into the ditch.
The students found a nearby empty house to hide from the storm in, said Crawford.
The students were covered in red welts after being pounded by the hail. Crawford and her husband loaded the runners into their van and took them to the hospital after learning from a 911 dispatcher that rescue crews were busy.
The Grinnell College cross country coach met the students at the hospital.
One of the students required X-rays to check for broken bones. They were all treated and released from the hospital.
Storm spotters in the area reported 1 to 1.5 inch hail.
The storm also snapped utility poles in the area, damaged trees and caused other damage, storm spotters reported Tuesday night. Wind gusts were clocked at 75 mph from the storm in the nearby town of Brooklyn around 5:44 p.m.
Look for more on this developing story on KCCI-TV and here on KCCI.com.
Seriously - do they gather every non-pussy in Iowa and suit him up for the Hawkeye football team? I will be running the PGH Marathon May 2 - hail or no.
King Crimson wrote:anytime you have a smoke tunnel and it's not Judas Priest in the mid 80's....watch out.
