A powerful tornado ripped through a small Iowa town on Tuesday, killing several people and injuring at least a dozen more.
The storm left a trail of destruction in Greenfield, a town of about 2,000 people and located 55 miles southwest of Des Moines. It reduced homes and businesses to rubble, shredding trees, and scattering debris across the town.
Sgt. Alex Dinkla of the Iowa State Patrol confirmed multiple fatalities but couldn't provide an exact number, according to Associated Press. "This tornado has devastated a good portion of this town," he said during an evening press conference in Greenfield.
A local hospital was among the damaged buildings, and patients had to be transferred to nearby facilities. Authorities were forced to set up a triage center at Greenfield High School.
The aftermath revealed a devastated landscape with broken wood, car parts, and other debris littering the area. Homes were damaged, and cars lay smashed while residents tried to save their belongings.
The tornado was part of a series of storms that hit Iowa, with multiple tornadoes reported. Some wind turbines in southwest Iowa were also damaged, with a few catching fire.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds declared a "disaster emergency" for 15 counties, including Adair and Adams, allowing state resources to be readily utilized in responding to the storm.
"My prayers are with all the communities and families impacted by today's severe weather, and especially those who tragically lost their lives in the Greenfield area," Reynolds said in a statement.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm advisories for much of Iowa and several other Midwestern states, including parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In Illinois, dust storms led to the closure of two interstates due to low visibility. Meanwhile, Oklahoma and Kansas faced strong winds and large hail, damaging homes and injuring residents.
More severe weather is expected to hit Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and southern Missouri on Wednesday, bringing high winds, heavy rain, and large hail.
Last week, a series of deadly storms struck the Houston area in Texas, killing at least eight people. These storms caused widespread power outages, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity and air conditioning in hot and humid conditions.
