Deadly tornado in Lowa devastates town and kill multiple people as storms race across state
Multiple people were killed when a deadly tornado in Lowa tore through Greenfield and left a wide swath of obliterated homes, crumpled cars and splintered trees, while outside the small town, massive wind turbines were buckled and twisted to the ground by the howling winds.
Pictures from Greenfield, Iowa, show entire streets turned to wreckage, amid piles of debris, broken trees and demolished cars.
After devastating the town of 2,000 residents, the deadly tornado in Lowa moved eastward to pummel parts of Illinois and Wisconsin, knocking out power to more than 130,000 customers in the two states.
Video courtesy : ABC New (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u6Gcqr8wWI)
There were 18 tornado warnings across Iowa on Tuesday, as well as one each in Wisconsin and Minnesota, adding to an already exceptionally busy tornado season.
Greenfield’s hospital was among the buildings that were damaged in the town, which meant that at least a dozen people who were hurt had to be taken to facilities elsewhere, according to Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla.
Shelters have been set up for residents. A curfew has been implemented in the city overnight, starting at 10 p.m. Iowa State Patrol plans to release more details Wednesday morning on cleanup efforts.
Aerial footage from Greenfield, shot late Tuesday, showed entire streets that were in the path of the deadly tornado turned to wreckage, with piles of debris among broken trees and demolished cars.
The tornado destroyed much of Greenfield, which is located about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of Des Moines, during a day that saw multiple tornadoes, giant hail and heavy rain in several states.
Authorities announced a mandatory curfew for the town and said they would only allow residents to enter Greenfield until Wednesday morning. They also ordered media representatives to leave the city Tuesday night.
In the aftermath of the storm, mounds of broken wood from homes, branches, car parts and other debris littered lots where homes once stood. Some trees still standing were stripped of their limbs and leaves. Residents helped each other salvage furniture and other belongings that were strewn in every direction.
Multiple potential and deadly tornadoes have been reported in Lowa, as the state along with parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin were under a significant tornado watch on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday evening, 33 tornadoes had been reported across the Midwest, mostly in central and western Iowa.
The National Weather Service in Des Moines has received reports of tornadoes from the Greenfield area, Macksburg, Winterset, Norwalk, Alleman, Cambridge, Nevada, and Pleasant Hill over the course of the late afternoon. All of these locations are within 50 miles of Des Moines, mostly to the west of the city.
More severe weather is on the way. The highest threat for tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail will be in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, including major cities such as Dallas, Waco, Abilene, Little Rock and Shreveport.
Some damaging winds could also develop in Memphis and Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Rochester, New York.