Six people, including two children, were killed in Iowa on Saturday after authorities said they were tornadoes that hit communities across the state.
Four adults were injured, including three in serious condition and one with life-threatening injuries, said Diogenes Ayala, director of the Madison County Emergency Management Agency.
“The best thing the community can do is just not visit these areas,” Mr. Ayala said at a press conference late Saturday night. “Let the people who live there, let them clean up. Give them some space. It’s pretty devastating to our community.”
Mr Ayala said people should call the authorities if they know someone who is missing.
The deaths, including two children under the age of 5, occurred at different locations. Mr. Ayala did not provide further details about the victims, as all families of the victims have not yet been notified.
Mr Ayala estimated that 25 to 30 houses were destroyed, but said a fuller estimate would be made in the morning.
This is reported by the National Weather Service. that a preliminary study of photographs and video from Winterset, a city in Madison County, suggests damage from tornadoes with winds between 136 and 165 mph.
Agency investigation teams will continue investigating the damage on Sunday, officials said.
Video published Social media and videos south of Winterset show the aftermath of severe weather: piles of debris, smoke and an overturned car.
Several homes in Norwalk, about 10 miles south of Des Moines, were damaged along with city public works and some local businesses, city spokesman Shelby Hysel said.
No injuries were reported in Norwalk as of late Saturday. Ms. Hisel wasn’t sure if the damage was the result of a tornado or other extreme weather event, such as strong winds, and said the city would assess the damage in the morning.
Des Moines International Airport was evacuated for more than 20 minutes as a precautionary measure due to a tornado warning, causing flight delays, airport spokeswoman Kayla Kovarna said.