Multiple people died and others were injured after a tornado tore through the Iowa town of Greenfield on Tuesday, a state police official said.
“This tornado has devastated a good portion of this town and community," Iowa State Police Sgt. Alex Dinkla told reporters after the deadly storm.
Dinkla said that “we do have confirmed fatalities,” but he did not have a number. At least a dozen people were transported to hospitals, he said.
The tornado hit Greenfield, a town of about 2,000 around 40 miles southwest of Des Moines, on a day in which there were tornado threats across Iowa and neighboring states.
There were 20 reports of tornadoes in Iowa, as well as one in Wisconsin, on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Storm surveys are typically done to confirm tornadoes.
There was also one death in Adams County, near Greenfield to the southwest, from a weather-related incident, the sheriff's office there said earlier.
The possible tornado in Greenfield also caused damage to Adair County Memorial Hospital, which meant some patients had to be sent to other hospitals, Dinkla said.
Drone footage shown by NBC News affiliate WHO of Des Moines showed a path of homes in Greenfield that appeared totally destroyed.
A curfew will be in effect for Greenfield from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Wednesday, and Dinkla said residents should expect that order "lasting for some time." Only Greenfield residents will be allowed into the area, which Dinkla said sustained heavy damage.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a disaster emergency proclamation for 15 counties, including Adair County, where Greenfield is located, due to the severe weather that hit her state, her office said. Reynolds plans to visit the Greenfield area Wednesday.
"Kevin’s and my prayers are with all the communities and families impacted by today’s severe weather, and especially those who tragically lost their lives in the Greenfield area," Reynolds said in a statement.
Damaging hail was also reported across Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Golf ball-size hail was reported in Mahaska County, Iowa, and a trained spotter reported hail the size of tennis balls in Cass County, Nebraska.
A band of the United States from Arkansas to Wisconsin remained under a tornado watch as of around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the Chicago area was warned of the possibility of severe weather until around 1 a.m. Wednesday.
"With the threat for severe thunderstorms late into the night tonight, make sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings, including at least a couple that will wake you up if needed. DO NOT rely on outdoor sirens to alert you indoors, especially while you’re asleep!" the National Weather Service for Chicago said.
On Wednesday, 38 million people will be at risk of storms from central Texas to upstate New York, with large hail, damaging winds and a strong tornado all possible. The hardest-hit areas are forecast to be central Texas to Missouri.
