Tornadoes in Midwest: Greenfield, Iowa Among Hardest Hit; Several People Killed, Thousands Affected

Greenfield, Iowa United States of America
At least several people were killed in Greenfield, Iowa during tornadoes on May 21, 2024.
Damage included debris scattered throughout the area and destroyed buildings such as a retirement center and hospital.
Greenfield was among the hardest hit towns with significant damage reported.
Multiple locations in Iowa were affected including Red Oak, Carbon, Corning and Greenfield.
Power lines, wind turbines and homes were damaged or destroyed. A wind gust of 71 mph was reported east of Des Moines.
Search and rescue crews do not believe anyone is still missing but it will take another day to determine the exact number of people impacted.
Tornadoes in Midwest: Greenfield, Iowa Among Hardest Hit; Several People Killed, Thousands Affected

Multiple tornadoes caused devastation and fatalities in the Midwest on May 21, 2024. The small town of Greenfield, Iowa was among those hit hardest by the severe weather. According to multiple sources, including FOX 9 and WAPT, at least several people were killed in Greenfield when a tornado ripped through the town.

The extent of the damage is significant. FOX 9 reported that most of Greenfield was gone, with debris scattered throughout the area. The Adair County Health System set up a triage center at the Greenfield high school to treat injured individuals.

At least a dozen people were taken to hospitals outside of Greenfield due to damage at the local hospital. Among the buildings damaged was a retirement center, but it is unclear if there were any injuries there.

The tornadoes were part of a larger severe weather outbreak that touched down in multiple locations across Iowa, including Red Oak, Carbon, Corning and Greenfield. Several other towns in the region were also affected by the storms.

Damage was reported to power lines, wind turbines and homes. At least one wind turbine was on fire and lying propped against the ground in Prescott, Iowa. The FOX Forecast Center spotted debris on radar from two twisters that impacted Carbon and Corning.

Greenfield, Iowa has a population of around 2,000 people and is the heart of Adair County. Damage appeared to be significant on the south and east sides of Greenfield around where the region's medical center sits. Parts of Adair County were without power following the severe storms.

Roads into and out of Greenfield were blocked by first responders in the hours after the severe weather to keep nonresidents out of the community. A wind gust of 71 mph was reported east of Des Moines at the Newton Municipal Airport. A Dust Storm Warning was issued for Central Illinois due to reduced visibilities around Champaign and Decatur.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has received reports of tornadoes from multiple locations, including Greenfield, Macksburg, Winterset, Norwalk, Alleman, Cambridge and Pleasant Hill. All of these locations are within 50 miles of Des Moines.

Search and rescue crews do not believe anyone is still missing but believe it'll take at least another day to determine exactly how many people were impacted during the severe weather outbreak.



Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if there were any injuries at the retirement center.
  • The exact number of fatalities and injuries is not clear.

Sources

97%

  • Unique Points
    • A series of tornadoes struck Iowa on Tuesday, causing significant destruction and fatalities in some rural communities.
    • Several deaths were attributed to the severe weather outbreak in Iowa.
    • At least two people were killed in the Greenfield region and one person is believed to have been killed in Corning, Adams County.
    • Search and rescue crews do not believe anyone is still missing but believe it’ll take at least another day to determine exactly how many people were impacted during the severe weather outbreak.
    • More than a dozen tornadoes were spotted over western and central parts of Iowa on Tuesday afternoon.
    • Tornadoes were reported in Red Oak, Carbon, Corning and Greenfield, where damage was reported to power lines, wind turbines and homes.
    • At least one wind turbine was on fire and lying propped against the ground in Prescott, Iowa.
    • The FOX Forecast Center spotted debris on radar from two twisters that impacted Carbon and Corning
    • Greenfield, Iowa has a population of around 2,000 people and is the heart of Adair County.
    • Damage appeared to be significant on the south and east sides of Greenfield around where the region’s medical center sits.
    • Parts of Adair County were without power following the severe storms
    • Roads into and out of Greenfield were blocked by first responders in the hours after the severe weather to keep nonresidents out of the community.
    • A wind gust of 71 mph was reported east of Des Moines at the Newton Municipal Airport.
    • A Dust Storm Warning was issued for Central Illinois due to reduced visibilities around Champaign and Decatur.
  • Accuracy
    • Multiple deaths have been reported in Greenfield, Iowa after a tornado hit the city.
    • At least a dozen people were injured and taken to hospitals outside of Greenfield.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. However, no formal or dichotomous fallacies were identified. The authors use phrases such as 'significant destruction and fatalities', 'powerful storms racing across the area', and 'particularly dangerous situation' to create a sense of urgency and importance. They also quote FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic, who uses hyperbolic language like 'most of this town is gone'. These are examples of inflammatory rhetoric that can manipulate the reader's emotions but do not necessarily represent logical fallacies.
    • ][FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic] Most of this town is gone... There's no other way to put it. Most of this town's gone.[/
    • The FOX Forecast Center spotted debris on radar from two twisters that impacted Carbon and Corning and debris was being reported thrown at least 15 miles from a tornado that impacted Greenfield, Iowa.
  • Bias (95%)
    The authors use the term 'Particularly Dangerous Situation' multiple times to describe the tornado outbreak, which could be seen as an attempt to sensationalize the situation and create a sense of urgency. They also quote a resident who uses dramatic language to describe the destruction in Greenfield, Iowa ('Most of this town is gone').
    • HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER Several deaths were attributed to the severe weather outbreak, which was centered southwest of the state capital.
      • Most of this town is gone…There’s no other way to put it. Most of this town’s gone.
        • The FOX Forecast Center spotted debris on radar from two twisters that impacted Carbon and Corning and debris was being reported thrown at least 15 miles from a tornado that impacted Greenfield, Iowa.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        97%

        • Unique Points
          • A massive tornado damaged homes in Carbon, Iowa on May 22, 2024.
          • The tornado was one of several that ripped through the southwest part of Iowa on Tuesday afternoon.
        • Accuracy
          • At least two people were killed in the Greenfield region and one person is believed to have been killed in Corning, Adams County.
          • Multiple deaths have been reported in Greenfield, Iowa after a tornado hit the city.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        96%

        • Unique Points
          • A tornado caused destruction in Greenfield, Iowa, resulting in fatalities and injuries.
          • At least a dozen people were injured and taken to hospitals outside of Greenfield.
          • Greenfield’s hospital was among the buildings damaged during the tornado.
          • The town of Greenfield, population 2000, had a significant portion destroyed by the tornado.
        • Accuracy
          • Several deaths were attributed to the severe weather outbreak in Iowa.
          • Search and rescue crews do not believe anyone is still missing but believe it'll take at least another day to determine exactly how many people were impacted during the severe weather outbreak.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The article reports on a natural disaster and includes direct quotes from sources. However, it does include some inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. The author describes the tornado as having 'devastated a good portion of this town' and quotes Sgt Alex Dinkla saying 'this tornado has devastated a good portion of this town... sadly, we can confirm that there have been fatalities.' This is an exaggeration and an appeal to emotion. The author also quotes Rogue Paxton, who is not an expert or authority on the situation, but is used to provide a personal account and evoke empathy: 'everything's going to be fine because we have each other, but it's just going to be really, really rough. It is a mess.' This appeals to the reader's emotions and empathy.
          • An unknown number of people have died after a powerful tornado ripped through a small town in Iowa.
          • Sadly, we can confirm that there have been fatalities. We're still counting at this time.
          • This tornado has devastated a good portion of this town.
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        100%

        • Unique Points
          • Multiple deaths have been reported in Greenfield, Iowa after a tornado hit the city.
          • At least a dozen people were injured in the tornado.
          • Search efforts are ongoing to account for all residents of Greenfield, but officials believe everyone has been accounted for.
          • A retirement center was among the buildings damaged in Greenfield, but it is unclear if there were any injuries there.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        98%

        • Unique Points
          • Multiple people were killed in a tornado that hit the town of Greenfield, Iowa.
          • At least a dozen injured individuals were taken to hospitals elsewhere due to damage at Greenfield’s hospital.
          • Residents and emergency services are conducting searches for missing individuals.
        • Accuracy
          • Search and rescue crews do not believe anyone is still missing but believe it’ll take at least another day to determine exactly how many people were impacted during the severe weather outbreak.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (95%)
          The article contains some instances of inflammatory rhetoric and an appeal to authority, but no formal or dichotomous fallacies are present. The authors use the phrase 'decimating homes and damaging businesses' to describe the tornado's impact on Greenfield, which is an example of inflammatory rhetoric. They also quote Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla stating that 'there have been fatalities,' which is an appeal to authority as it establishes the credibility of the source in reporting deaths.
          • The tornado destroyed much of the town of 2,000 located around 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of Des Moines, during a day that saw multiple tornadoes, giant hail and heavy rain in several states.
          • Sadly, we can confirm that there have been fatalities,
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication