Where is Greenfield, Iowa? Here's what we know about the deadly ...

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Survivors recount their experience of devastating Greenfield tornado

Colton and Shaye Newberry explain the terrifying moments when a powerful tornado struck the town of Greenfield, Iowa, obliterating the house where they were taking shelter.

Multiple residents were killed, and at least a dozen others injured, after a tornado hit the small town of Greenfield on May 21.

The destruction comes after multiple rounds of storms plagued the state Tuesday, and nearly a month after at least 24 tornadoes swept through the state and devastated the western town of Minden.

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she would visit Greenfield on Wednesday morning to assess the damage with local officials in a statement made Tuesday night.

Here’s what we know so far about Greenfield.

What did the Greenfield, Iowa tornado damage?

Sgt. Alex Dinkla, spokesperson with the Iowa State Patrol, confirmed the deaths at a news conference Tuesday night and estimated at least a dozen people were hospitalized. He did not know the exact number of those killed or injured. Dinkla did not think people were still missing as of Tuesday evening, but searches were still underway to confirm.

Dinkla did tell the Register on Wednesday that the town square and Wilson Opera House were spared.

More: Updates: Tornado, storm damage still being felt in Iowa as clean up begins

Structures in the path of the tornado are now rubble, as evidenced by drone video posted to social media.

Damage also extends to the Adair County Health System hospital. The hospital was evacuated, a MercyOne spokesperson told the Des Moines Register.

What is the population of Greenfield, Iowa?

The total population of the town located in Adair County about 2,000 people, according to the U.S Census Bureau.

How far is Greenfield, Iowa to Des Moines, Iowa? Where is Greenfield?

Greenfield is the county seat of Adair County. It’s about 60 miles southwest of Des Moines, or about an hour drive, according to Google Maps.

What is the Greenfield, Iowa tornado rating?

Information is not yet available about the Greenfield tornado, but meteorologists have described the May 21 tornado as a “dangerous tornado.”

The National Weather Service in Des Moines will send three survey crews across the state to search for tornado damage on Wednesday. One team will be focused on just the Greenfield area.

How can I help Greenfield, Iowa?

As of Wednesday afternoon, volunteers are asked to stay out of the town so that emergency officials can complete searches. Two local banks in Greenfield, FNB Bank and Union State Bank, are accepting monetary donations for the tornado damage.

Other ways to donate include:

What is the history of Greenfield, Iowa?

Greenfield became a settlement in 1854, according to the Greenfield Chamber Main Street.

It’s home to the Iowa Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame and the Warren Cultural Center — composed of the 1896 Warren Opera House and adjoining Hetherington and Taylor buildings, according to Greenfield Chamber.

The Warren Opera House block and Hetherington block is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another National Register of Historic Places listing for Greenfield is Hotel Greenfield, which was built in 1919 for about $65,000, according to the hotel. The hotel was refurbished after it was purchased in 2010 to ADCO Enterprises, according to the hotel.

Will Greenfield, Iowa tornado change RAGBRAI 2024 route?

Greenfield is supposed to host Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa this July as a Day 3 meetup town. Red Oak, which also experienced tornado damage on Tuesday, is the Day 1 overnight town.

Anne Lawrie, director of the cycling division of Ventures Endurance, the subsidiary of Register owner Gannett that operates the weeklong ride, said RAGBRAI had no comment as of early Wednesday morning on how the ride might be affected.

Des Moines Register reporters Kyle Werner and Lee Rood contributed to this article.

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.