Tornadoes Work Way 
Across State

Dark clouds churn as a thunderstorm moves across 
a farm field near De Soto, Iowa. Earlier on Sunday, tornadoes 
caused damage in three western Iowa counties. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)

At least 16 people have been injured after tornadoes swept through western Iowa on Sunday. 
By Maggie O'Brien
The Associated Press
L O G A N,  Iowa, May 17— Tornadoes roared through west-central Iowa, killing two, injuring at least 16 and causing damage in at least four counties.
    The tornadoes hit near Logan in western Iowa on Sunday. The storm moved east across the state, dropping golf-ball-size hail and up to 8 inches of rain. Already-swollen rivers and streams burst their banks, spreading over the saturated ground.
     Initial reports from Harrison County said the two tornado victims died when some farm equipment hit their car, but Sheriff Terry Baxter said today he’s not sure what happened
 

All of the injured are from Harrison County, a hospital official said. Logan, which is inside Harrison County, is about 20 miles northeast of Omaha, Neb. (ABCNEWS.com/ Magellan Geographix)

He said it was unclear if they were killed by storm debris or by a traffic accident as a group of people from a high school graduation party in Logan fled the tornado in two vehicles.
     “They thought they’d be safer in another residence, but the storm was coming too quick,” Baxter said. He said one car was following the other when the first one stopped and was hit from behind by the second one.
     “They see the storm coming and drove into a ditch and exited the vehicle,” Baxter said. “We’re trying to determine if the accident was an accident from the collision or was caused by debris that was storm related.”
     The names of the two victims had not been released early today. 

Injuries Tallied
The sheriff said 16 to 20 people were injured in the storm and were taken to hospitals. Of those, four were in critical condition.
     Heavy farm machines were scattered about like toys and galvanized steel corn bins were left crumpled like used tissues.
     “As of this morning, we don’t have anyone missing. That’s a good sign,” Baxter said. “I want to see how far this tornado went. I think we have 4 to 5 miles of destruction.”
     A tornado damaged at least 10 farms in Crawford County, but no injuries were reported.
     The storm system also caused flash flooding overnight in eastern Iowa, washing out roads and bridges in Buchanan County and closing a highway in Fairbank.
     At least 12 homes had to be evacuated and 10,000 customers lost power in southern Wisconsin as the storms went through there.
     In Muskogee County, Okla., severe thunderstorms with wind up to 70 mph wrecked 11 mobile homes and damaged others early today and left three people with minor injuries, county officials said.
     A school bus in Wainwright also was destroyed. “The roof of a house went right through it,” said Tommy Ragland, assistant director for Muskogee County Emergency Management.
 

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