A “devastating tornado” hit a town in the US state of Iowa on Tuesday, killing and injuring people, police said, without providing a death toll.
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Sergeant Alex Dinkla, of the Iowa State Patrol, said during a press conference that this huge storm “destroyed a large portion of the town of Greenfield,” which has a population of about 2,000 and is located 70 kilometers southwest of Des Moines, the state capital.
“Earlier today, the town of Greenfield was struck by a devastating tornado. Local, county and state emergency services quickly began search and rescue operations after this tornado passed through the area,” said Sergeant Dinkla.
He added: “Unfortunately, we can confirm that this tornado caused death and injury to residents of the Greenfield area.”
He did not give the number of deaths, but said that ten people were taken to hospital.
He added that after searching the area, “we believe that everyone has been identified.”
Photos posted on the Des Moines Register website show scenes of devastation in Greenfield: numerous destroyed homes, uprooted trees and overturned cars.
The city will be under a curfew from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Dinkla said, adding that the curfew is “expected to last for some time.”
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds declared a state of emergency in 15 counties, including Adair, which includes Greenfield, due to severe weather.
“I am committed to providing all state resources to support relief and reconstruction efforts,” she said in a statement, noting that she intends to travel to Greenfield on Wednesday to assess the damage.
She said she is praying for “the communities and families affected by today’s severe weather, especially those who tragically lost their lives in the Greenfield area.”
In April, a tornado killed one person in Iowa.
