Cities in Iowa assess damage from tornadoes 17

A whirlwind of unexpected tornadoes swept through central Iowa on Thursday, wounding at least 17 people, flattening buildings in three cities and forcing the evacuation of people. 39, a hospital.

Residents – and even meteorologists like tornadoes hit Marshalltown, Pella and Bondurant. Ten people were injured in Marshalltown and seven in a factory near Pella, but no deaths were reported.

Alex Krull, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Des Moines, said the forecast models produced Thursday morning showed only a light thunderstorm later in the day.

"This morning, it did not appear that tornado supercells were possible," Krull said. "If something were waiting for us, we could have hail if strong storms developed."

Gov. Kim Reynolds and other officials plan to visit Bondurant, Marshalltown and Pella on Friday to check the damage and meet local authorities.

Marshalltown, a town of 27,000 inhabitants about 80 kilometers northeast of Des Moines, appears to have been the hardest hit. . Brick walls collapsed in the streets, roofs were torn from buildings and the historic courthouse dome tumbled 53 meters

Energy said nearly 6,400 customers in Marshalltown were left without power on Friday morning.

The only hospital in Marshalltown was damaged, spokeswoman Amy Varcoe said. The 40 patients from UnityPoint Health were transferred to the largest hospital in the Waterloo Health System and Grundy Center, she said.

The emergency room at Marshalltown's small hospital remained open to wounded patients, Varcoe said. Ten people injured in the storm had been treated, she said.

Marshalltown resident Stephanie Moz said that She, her husband, and her two-month-old baby were in the downtown clothing store that she owns when the tornado sirens went off. The family took refuge in the basement of the building and heard "crunches, explosions and explosions" when the tornado pbaded

The storm broke a window, destroying clothes and hats and destroying her husband's vehicle. But she said that she was relieved.

"We went through a tornado and survived," says Moz. "I'm happy."

Tornadoes were not predicted

Forecasters said the tornadoes were formed suddenly and that they took them by surprise.

Additional funnels were reported as the storm moved east of Des Moines after Altoona, Prairie City and Colfax. National Meteorological Meteorologist Rod Donavon said two primary storms have created the series of destructive tornadoes. One was developed in the Marshalltown area, causing damage, while the other began east of Des Moines and crossed Bondurant and Pella.

The exact number of tornadoes and their strength will be determined later.

Mark Smith, who lives in Marshalltown, told Des Moines, KCCI-TV, that the area would likely be declared a disaster area. Smith said that much of downtown was damaged. He said that his home and neighborhood had been spared, but that the surrounding homes had been affected.

"There are houses with windows outside, houses without roofs," he said. "It's just an absolute mess."

Another tornado hit farm machinery maker Vermeer Manufacturing in the city of Pella, about 40 miles southeast of Des Moines. People were still working at the factory at the time. The storm scattered huge metal plates through a parking lot and left a building with a huge hole in it.

Seven People Wounded at the # The plant was taken to the Pella Regional Health Center, hospital spokesman Billie Rhamy said. They were all released after being treated for their minor injuries, said Rhamy.

Reynolds told the WHO-TV in Des Moines that two of Vermeer's buildings in Pella were demolished in the storm. She said that Vermeer was hosting 500 customers for a day of appreciation when the weather struck. She credited the company's security team with having them all safe.

Reynolds added that in Marshalltown, the state provides a communications trailer and workers to help maintain emergency communications. She said the Marshalltown building housing her local communications system was damaged.