A powerful tornado tore through the small town of Greenfield, Iowa, on Tuesday, resulting in multiple fatalities and at least a dozen injuries, authorities confirmed.
Images from Greenfield reveal a trail of devastation: homes reduced to splinters, debris scattered everywhere, and several large wind turbines toppled.
“This tornado has devastated a good portion of this town,” said Sergeant Alex Dinkla, a spokesman with the Iowa State Patrol, during an evening press conference in Greenfield. “We can confirm there have been multiple fatalities with this tornado.”
Sgt Dinkla did not provide a precise death toll, stating that accurate figures might not be available until Wednesday.
Community Impact
Greenfield, a town with a population of about 2,000, saw at least a dozen people injured in the wake of the tornado. The local hospital also sustained damage, necessitating the transfer of patients to facilities in nearby towns.
“I’ve lived here all my life. I’m just praying that everyone was safe, that everybody’s safe, and nobody got hurt,” said Valerie Warrior, a Greenfield resident, in an interview with CBS affiliate KCCI TV. “It was scary, very scary.”
Footage from the scene showed smashed vehicles and heavy damage to a gas station in Greenfield. The tornado wreaked havoc primarily in Adair County, where Greenfield is the county seat, and adjacent Adams County.
Official Responses and Declarations
Lisa Brown, the medical examiner for Adams County, reported at least one storm-related fatality—a woman from Adams County. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds declared a “disaster emergency” for 15 counties, including Adair and Adams, to facilitate the deployment of state resources in response to the storm.
In Adams County, at least three wind turbines, each standing about 25 stories high, were nearly snapped in half, with one catching fire. Several other wind turbines were damaged in Adair County, KCCI reported.
Warnings and Further Reports
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm advisories for much of Iowa and other Midwestern states on Tuesday, including parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Earlier in the day, the weather service confirmed at least one tornado over Rollingstone, Minnesota.
As the community of Greenfield begins to assess the damage and rebuild, authorities continue to monitor the situation and provide necessary support and resources to the affected residents.
