US: One killed in Iowa as tornadoes rip through Midwest

Chicago, May 22 (IANS) One person was killed as multiple tornadoes ripped through the western part of the US Midwestern state of Iowa, local media reported.

The death occurred in Adams County, about 90 miles (144.8 km) southwest of Des Moines, capital of Iowa, on Tuesday afternoon, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, a tornado went through the city of Greenfield, about 55 miles (88.5 km) southwest of Des Moines, shortly before 5:00 p.m. (2200 GMT), injuring multiple people and destroying a hospital.

Video released by a local TV station shows ripped houses and flattened structures, piles of debris, damaged cars and countless toppled trees.

In the southwest city of Prescott, multiple turbines at an Iowa wind farm were destroyed, leaving behind burning wreckage.

Wind turbines generate 60 per cent of Iowa's electricity.

Earlier, the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center issued alerts of a high chance of severe thunderstorms with the potential for strong tornadoes in most areas of Iowa. Des Moines' public schools ended classes two hours early and cancelled all evening activities ahead of the storms.

The National Weather Service expects the storm system to turn south on Wednesday and bring more severe weather to parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri.

Late Sunday, strong winds, large hail and tornadoes swept parts of Oklahoma and Kansas, damaging homes and injuring two in Oklahoma.

Another round of storms on Monday night raked Colorado and western Nebraska, pouring hail the size of baseballs and golf balls on the city of Yuma, Colorado.

Last week, deadly storms hit the Houston area in Texas, killing at least seven. Those storms on Thursday knocked out power to hundreds of thousands for days, leaving the Texans in the dark and without air conditioning during hot and humid weather.