The National Weather Service out of Des Moines began surveying the areas where tornadoes were suspected. So far, they have confirmed at least five tornadoes struck Iowa, including one that passed through part of Webster County. Additional confirmed tornadoes are likely as additional information is processed.

Gov. Kim Reynolds declared Hamilton and Webster counties, along with several others nearby, to be disaster zones.

”It was a historic day, a strange day for sure,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said during a visit to the Farm News Ag Show in Fort Dodge Thursday.

”We’re seeing some pretty significant livestock structure damage,” he added.

-Submitted photo
A 60-foot Coloarado blue spruce was uprooted by the Wednesday night storms that rolled through Algona. The tree is located on the property of Joseph and Barbara Goecke.

An EF-2 tornado started near Paton and traveled just northwest of Harcourt and ending west of Duncombe. Estimated peak winds were 116-120 mph. It traveled 26.7 miles.

A tornado formed west of Breda and traveled through southeastern Sac County before ending near Lytton. This tornado is currently rated EF-Unknown as the NWS analyzes more data.

No injuries were reported in Hamilton County as a result of Wednesday’s extreme high winds and severe thunderstorm, Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Timmons said.

“It’s great,” he said. “It makes my day that no one was hurt.”

Despite no injuries caused by the winds and storm, the weather did cause significant widespread damage across the county, the sheriff said.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
An electric worker with Prairie Energy Cooperative works on some damaged power lines near the overpass of Highway 17 and U.S. Highway 20 on Thursday afternoon.

“Near Highway 175 east of Stratford over by the Boone River, there were several machine sheds on properties destroyed,” Timmons said. “Houses with damaged roofs and broken windows. Some livestock that got out, but most of those have been captured.”

In Hamilton County, the storm damage was not isolated to any particular area of the county, Timmons said.

“It was hit and miss,” he said. “There’s some in the northern part of the county and on the northwest part of the county.”

In Algona, there was a 60-foot Colorado blue spruce that was ripped out of the ground.

A hog confinement in the 1400 block of 350th Street east of Stratford saw one of its buildings collapse. Timmons said teams were working to free the hogs trapped inside the damaged building on Thursday.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
This streetlight at the corner of Second Avenue South and Eighth Street was left standing at a sharp angle after being buffeted by high winds Wednesday night. The light was later taken down.

At the county line between Hamilton and Webster counties, there’s about a mile and a half to two miles of utility poles that are “leveled and laying on the ground.”

On old Highway 20, the road was closed west of Duncombe at Vincent Avenue, all the way east to the junction with Highway 17 due to the several power lines and utility poles downed around Duncombe.

As of 10 p.m. Thursday evening, MidAmerican was still reporting just over 1000 customers without power due to significant damage.

Due to damage and issues with power, Southeast Valley schools canceled school Thursday and today.

According to the Duncombe city Facebook page, due to the number of utility poles that are down, it may be “a couple days” until electricity is restored to Duncombe.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A building at a hog confinement in the 1400 block of 350th Street near Stratford had collapsed and sustained significant damage during Wednesday's wind storm.

“A generator is being brought in to provide power to the town,” the page posted on Thursday evening. “There may be restrictions on usage as the town relies on generator power.”

Timmons lauded the team effort given by the county’s first responders, law enforcement, dispatch and emergency management in handling this storm and its aftermath.

As the area deals with the aftermath of the weather, communities have come together to support one another.

Just a few examples of this midwest hospitality include MidAmerican Energy Co. who provided a phone charging station outside Duncombe City Hall for the afternoon on Thursday and the Otho Fire Station was open to the public for warmth and shelter.

Dayton and Gowrie school kitchens will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today for a free turkey dinner for the communities. They will have around 500 servings at each location and it will be a first come first serve basis.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Utility poles along 350th Street in Hamilton County were leaning heavily on Thursday afternoon following Wednesday's strong wind gusts and storm.

Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for 43 counties across Iowa due to the impact from the weather including Calhoun, Hamilton, Kossuth, Sac, Webster, and Wright counties.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website at dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs. Applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

The Disaster Case Management Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program and it closes 180 days from the governor’s proclamation. For more information, visit iowacommunityaction.org.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A barn outside of Stratford lays in pieces after being destroyed by high winds on Wednesday.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A grain bin was destroyed near Stratford during Wednesday's storm with exceptionally strong winds.