Chain Of Tornadoes Rips Through Iowa, Kills Seven People

A series of tornadoes ripped through Iowa on Saturday, killing seven people, CNN reported.

The Madison County tornado was an EF3, delivering wind speeds of at least 136 miles per hour, the National Weather Service in Des Moines said. The Winterset tornado was also an EF3, and damage surveys in Des Moines and the Quad Cities reportedly estimate winds of at least 138 miles per hour were responsible for the damage.

The victims in Madison County ranged from two to 72 years old, CNN reported. One individual near Lucas County was also reportedly killed.

The Winterset tornado damaged or destroyed at least 53 homes in Madison County within a 13.7-mile span, delivering wind speeds as strong as 155 miles per hour, CNN reported. Six people in the county are reportedly being treated for injuries, with one adult sustaining life-threatening injuries.

“This is, I think, the worst anyone has seen in quite a long time,” Madison County Emergency Management Director Diogenes Ayala said, CNN reported.

The storms caused “damage to several homes, power lines, and trees,” Polk County’s sheriff’s office said, according to CNN.

“Downed power lines, standing water and debris blocking roadways are creating dangerous travel conditions in this area and we are asking for the public’s assistance by staying clear of the area and allowing these agencies to work unimpeded,” the sheriff’s office said, CNN reported.

Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, CNN reported, saying she and her husband were praying for those affected by the tornadoes.

“Today, as you pray for the situation in Ukraine, please also pray for the victims of yesterday’s deadly tornadoes in Iowa—for those that tragically lost their lives, those injured, and those whose properties suffered severe damage,” Reynolds tweeted.