A severe thunderstorm with extremely high winds swept through central Iowa late this morning, causing damage and widespread power outages.

In Webster County, of the nearly 17,000 customers served by MidAmerican Energy Company, 3,921 were without power as of 12:45 p.m.

The Webster County Law Enforcement Center’s non-emergency phone number, 515-573-2323, is currently down due to the storm damage. Those with emergencies are directed to call 911.

Both the Webster County Courthouse and the Fort Dodge City Hall are closed due to the power outage.