United States: Deadly tornadoes rattle Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin; travel affected deeply

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Deadly tornado outbreak leaves trail of destruction across Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, with fatalities and significant damage reported.

A deadly tornado outbreak struck Iowa on Tuesday, causing multiple deaths and widespread destruction. Several tornadoes swept through the state, wreaking havoc in towns and cities before moving into parts of Illinois and Wisconsin.

Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Alex Dinkla confirmed fatalities from the tornadoes during a news conference, though he did not provide specific details. The state media reported a storm chaser’s death after her car was blown off the road in Corning.

Drone footage revealed extensive damage in Greenfield, located about 50 miles southwest of Des Moines. “There is basically nothing left,” said Clel Baudler, a former Iowa state representative residing near Greenfield. The National Weather Service initially rated the Greenfield tornado as an EF3, though this rating could change upon further assessment.

Rogue Paxton shared his experience with WOI-TV, recounting how he sheltered in his basement during the storm. While his house was lost, his family survived. “But everyone else is not so much, like my brother Cody, his house just got wiped,” Paxton said. “Everything’s going to be fine because we have each other, but it’s just going to be really, really rough. It is a mess.”

Another storm-related death was reported in Adams County, about 90 miles southwest of Des Moines. In Red Oak, Iowa, a suspected tornado caused significant damage, and another tornado was captured on camera crossing a highway and tearing through farmland in Stanton, Iowa. AccuWeather meteorologist Tony Laubach documented the Stanton twister, capturing footage of the tornado crossing US-34 and damaging at least one home.

In Prescott, Iowa, several wind turbines were destroyed by a tornado, with one turbine falling to the ground in flames.

Power outages were extensive, with at least 24,000 people without power in Wisconsin and 11,000 in Iowa and Illinois as of Wednesday afternoon, according to poweroutage.us.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for 15 counties, allowing state resources to aid in response and recovery efforts. Reynolds plans to visit Greenfield to assess the damage, stating, “I am committed to providing the full resources of the state to support the response and recovery effort.”

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