Storm outbreaks in the Midwest plains in the United States have damaged an Iowa hospital and put states on high alert.
Damage from an apparent tornado is seen April 14, 2012 in Thurman, Iowa. The storms were part of a massive system that affected areas from Northern Nebraska south through Oklahoma. [Xinhua/AFP Photo] |
According to the Des Moines Register, the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston was damaged by a severe storm Saturday evening, and it was evacuated. No serious injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Creston is about 75 miles southwest of Des Moines.
According to the National Weather Service, a major tornado outbreak is likely in the Central and Southern Plains Saturday. The Storm Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the worst conditions are projected to hit late Saturday afternoon between Oklahoma City and Salina and these conditions could be life-threatening.
Also, other areas could see severe storms with baseball-sized hail and winds of up to 112 km per hour. The warning includes parts of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.
In Kansas, Wichita was under a tornado emergency late Saturday as a large twister moved through south-central Kansas and threatened to destroy homes.
The "confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located just east of Conway Springs and moving northeast" toward the Wichita area, the National Weather Service reported Saturday night. "This is a particularly dangerous situation."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it remains in constant contact with state emergency management officials in affected states and stands ready to support impacted states if requested.
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