To-To, To-To, where are you???

[mominiowa]

Tornadoes whip across central Iowa



Twisters damage farms, injure animals, force football fans from stadium







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Updated: 9:11 p.m. ET Nov. 12, 2005



WOODWARD, Iowa - Tornadoes swept across central Iowa on Saturday, damaging homes in several towns, ripping up farms, and chasing college football fans from an open stadium and into a nearby basketball arena for shelter.

No injuries were immediately reported, but authorities Saturday evening were evacuating Stratford, a town of about 746 residents 23 miles northwest of Ames.

“They’re evacuating the whole town. Part of it was damaged by a tornado ” a good portion of it,” said Officer Luke Field of the Ellsworth-Jewell-Stanhope Police Department.



National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Cogil said it appeared that at least three tornadoes touched down.

In Ames, football fans awaiting the start of the Iowa State Cyclones’ game against the University of Colorado were cleared from the stands and moved into Hilton Coliseum as the tornado sirens sounded.

‘It’s pretty bad’

Ames Police dispatcher Pam Litchfield said there were reports of a building blown apart in the city, but it wasn’t clear if it was a home.

A Boone County dispatcher confirmed that at least two tornadoes hit there, with major damage in the Boxholm and Pilot Mound areas, a few miles south of Stratford. A convenience store in Woodward, 30 miles south of Stratford, was also damaged by the storm.

Richard Albracht, 59, had headed for his basement in Woodward when he saw shingles start to fly and heard the sirens.

He said he went outside after the storm passed and found several homes damaged and an empty restaurant with only one wall left standing.

“It’s pretty bad. There’s houses destroyed and roofs off of houses,” he said.

John Kiley and his wife were watching television at their home in rural Woodward when they heard the warning.

“I saw it two, three minutes before it hit,” Kiley said. “My wife said go to the basement. I said no. We got in the car and went down the road. I looked out, it hit our house.”

His house, barn, garage and another building were severely damaged. Many of his sheep were injured by the storm, neighbor Doug Jimeson said.

“There were sheep everywhere,” Jimeson said. “Some of them have broken legs.”

[lady cop]

you OK Mom???

[mominiowa]

You bet..Just went a little south of here and over the state. The kids dad was pretty shaken up as he works for the City of Ames..Woodward was pretty tore up- Caseys is gone and such..but the really scary thing...They are saying it was a F3- that size is what tore up the southern states last week....and caused so many deaths, so we were very very lucky...They are saying on the news, that it is not a rescue effort any more and that it is now a relief effort, so they must be sure they have taken care of the people...It looks bad on the TV - we had a lot of rain and hail- high winds -but nothing like the other counties did..It should have went right by Wolverine--So if u see him -tell him I am glad he was OK...I was not feeling well- we were suppose to go to the game with the kids...so we stayed home...My kiddies would have had a heart attack being evactuated....

[nvalleyvee]

I've never been in any kind of hurricane or tornado like you and LC have seen - don't want to either. I'm glad you and yours are OK.

How are you feeling MOM? I know you are a woman who keeps a lot of that to yourself. How are you? :-4

[mominiowa]

Not bad NV...hanging in there- I really am just waiting...its the wicked game of hurry up and wait! LOL I actually go in for my bi-opsy against his week...Every other day they say-be here, then I go and then they say- levels are to low..levels are to high come back in a couple days....so they are doing this this week or I will find another doctor that will.... Other then that- we are good...my moms getting better and my daughter is feeling 100% again..so we are on the road!!! PLUS it is almost Christmas!! :-6

[CountryDweller]

Turned the news on this morning and saw the tornado report in Iowa.

I thought about you and Wolfie right away. Am glad to hear you are ok!

Anybody hear from Wolfie yet?