Two Killed in Iowa Twisters

                                Tornadoes Work Way Across State

                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. 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.

                 Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. All rights
                 reserved. This material may not be published,
                 broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

             The above storm summary is presented here solely
                for educational purposes at the University of Nebraska.
                No further reproduction should be done without the permission
                of the Associated Press.

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