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Iowa authorities tallying storm damage, injuries

News, Weather

April 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – Iowa authorities are tallying up the damage and injuries caused by powerful storms that struck the state. The National Weather Service says the storms damaged a number of Iowa towns as gusts neared 90 mph and hail up to an inch in diameter fell on Sunday.

The service says radar data suggested that a tornado struck the southern Iowa city of Ottumwa. City officials told The Ottumwa Courier that several homes were damaged and some residents were injured near Liberty Elementary School on the southwest side of Ottumwa. Assistant Fire Chief Mike Craff says it’s unclear how many people were hurt.

A storm was blamed for a person’s death in the Keokuk County town of Kinross, but a county dispatcher said Monday morning that she couldn’t provide any information.