By NANCY NEWHOFF, Courier Editor

PARKERSBURG --- Iowa Homeland Security administrator Dave Miller said there are seven fatalities from the tornadoes that struck Parkersburg and New Hartford.

Five of the dead were from Parkersburg and two were from New Hartford. At least 50 injuries were reported.

Miller said state officials are still assessing damage and that more injuries and fatalities are possible.

The storm's toll was the worst in recent memory, Miller said.

 Eyewitness Dan Summerhays of Waterloo, who took shelter in the bathroom of the Pizza Ranch in Parkersburg, said there is complete devastation from the tornado.

"There are at least 300 to 400 homes gone. I mean leveled, right to the basement," said Summerhays.

Barb Berquam, Black Hawk County Emergency Management coordinator, said her office received unconfirmed reports of five deaths in the Parkersburg area.

Butler County Sheriff Jason Johnson said there is no one missing or unaccounted for as of 9 p.m.

He said the town of Parkersburg will be closed for the night, reopening at 6 a.m. Monday. This means residents also will not be able to enter the town.

The Iowa National Guard will be on standby for security purposes to protect the town, he said.

Summerhays was driving through Parkersburg on his way to a graduation  when he saw the tornado form and "drop out of the sky."

He turned his truck around and stopped at the Pizza Ranch, where he saw a group of people looking skyward at the tornado. They all ran into the Pizza Ranch bathroom.

"All of a sudden the lights went out. I was looking out of the door of the bathroom and I seen my truck go flying by. Then all of a sudden, the building just collapsed on us," he said.

He said there were about 12 people in the bathroom, including young children and employees of the restaurant.

The building landed on those hiding, but none were seriously hurt. They were able to crawl their way out of the building, and saw a car had landed on the top of the building a few feet from where they were.

Outside, Summerhays said they found a woman laying under  a pile of wood near a car, but she was alive. There was an elderly man at the Kwik Star, which also was severely damaged by the twister, who had been in his vehicle, but later collapsed.

Butler County officials said the tornado struck Parkersburg at 4:45 p.m. The storm formed in the southern most part of the county just east of the community of Aplington and continued moving east for approximately 5 miles before bearing down on Parkersburg, population 1,890.

"Parkersburg suffered devastating damages, including at least four major businesses, a large number of homes and its high school," said Holly A. Fokkena, Butler County auditor.

The tornado then continued its path east and destroyed the Sinclair Elevator, a rural grain elevator complex valued at more than $2 million. Also destroyed was a large anhydrous ammonia storage tank, forcing the evacuation of a large number of rural residences.

Fokkena said the devastation continued through the countryside until reaching the city of New Hartford, population 660, where at least a dozen homes were destroyed.

"The assistance being offered by emergency and medical personnel from neighboring communities and counties has been overwhelming. However, at this time, law enforcement officials are asking that no one attempt to enter the two communities," she said.

An emegency shelter has been set up at the Aplington Elementary School where food and water is available.

Shortly after 7 p.m. some of the injured were arriving by ambulance in Waterloo. 

 "We have 14 patients so far," said Jim Waterbury, a spokesman for Allen Hospital, at 7:30 p.m. Patients have arrived from the Eldora, Grundy Center, Aplington and Dunkerton areas. He expected more people to arrive at the hospital.

"We have one that we know that is critical," Waterbury said, from Aplington. "Most of them have come in via ambulance, but some have come in private car."

By about 7:30 p.m., Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls had about 20 patients, said spokesman Chris Hyers. Covenant Hospital in Waterloo, which is owned by the same health system, hadn't yet received any storm-related patients.

"They're gearing up, ready to go," said Hyers.

Power outages were widespread.

"Right now, on the electrical side, we're looking at about 8,100 people without service in the Waterloo area," said Ann Thelan, a MidAmerican Energy Co. spokeswoman.

The highest number of power outages were 1,889 in the Dewar area followed by 1,754 in Jesup, 1,380 in Parkersburg and 1,222 in Waterloo. A total of 847 outages were reported in rural Black Hawk County, 444 in New Hampton, 370 in Denver, 123 in Shell Rock, 36 in rural Bremer County, 31 in rural Butler County. Other scattered outages were in Dunkerton, Raymond and rural Buchanan County.

"We are in the process of responding to natural gas outages," said Thelan, which is the priority now. "On the electrical side we are still, you can imagine, assessing the damage and, if there's downed lines, making it safe for the public." 

Gov. Chet Culver this evening has issued a disaster proclamation for Black Hawk and Butler counties.

"Early reports indicate that Parkersburg and surrounding areas have sustained significant damage after a possible tornado touched down earlier today," said Culver. "The coming hours will provide more information, but state government stands ready to do whatever necessary to support local emergency management efforts and help those affected recover quickly."

 This comes after a strong storm system moved through northern Black Hawk County and parts of Bremer and Butler counties about 5 p.m., leaving damaged buildings and homes in their wake.

A tornado also struck Dunkerton. There are numerous reports of homes damaged or destroyed in both cities, as well as buildings in Black Hawk County.

Lt. Kent Smock of Black Hawk County Sheriff's office said there is one minor injury in Black Hawk County with a woman cut on the head.

Witnesses reported extensive damage to buildings north and west of Dunkerton. People cannot get in or out of the town.

Officials have opened Parkersburg's elementary school for evacuees.

Power lines have also been knocked down in the area, leaving many residents without power.

A dispatcher with the Bulter County Sheriff's department said in a brief interview that damage to a grain elevator near Parkersburg that may have caused an anhydrous ammonia leak.

Parkersburg is a town of roughly 1,000 in northeast Iowa. Nearby Dunkerton has fewer than 800 residents.

The National Weather Service was tracking conditions throughout central and eastern Iowa that were conducive with tornados.

A tornado watch will remain in effect until 10 p.m.

A barn located on Union Road just north of the Beaver Hills Country Club was severely damaged.

Power lines are also down in that area. Residents in that area are without electricity.

The storm moved quickly through the area.

The city of Parkersburg apparently took the brunt of the storm, with numerous buildings damaged and trees down.

Along Dunkerton Road, witnesses reported at least five damaged homes, along with a vehicle and a trailer flipped upside down in the ditch.

At least one woman was injured when the roof ripped off her home on home on Mount Vernon Road and cut her face. But there were reports that others also may be more severely injured.

Law enforcement and rescue personnel have been going door to door in the Dunkerton area checking on residents. Many are reporting that homes are destroyed.

Many streets in Dunkerton are impassable due to downed power lines and trees.

The Cedar Falls Police Department is requesting that people stasy out of the area of Dunkerton and Big Woods roads.

"With the storm damage in the area, it is important that people who do not need to be there stay out so cleanup can begin," said Capt. Mike Hayes.

The Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors will hold an emergency meeting at 9 a.m. Monday in room 201 of the county courthouse to discuss any action regarding damage in Black Hawk County caused by the weather.

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Cruisin' the strip

Death and destruction from tornadoes in Parkersburg, New Hartford and Dunkerton

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