A tornado swept through central Iowa on Saturday, killing at least six people and damaging buildings. Power lines and trees were also knocked down, authorities said. 

The tornado touched down in the area southwest of Des Moines at about 4.30 pm. Among those killed were children and adults. The identities of the deceased were not revealed, however, authorities confirmed they were not in the same location when they were killed. 

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Emergency management officials in Madison County said that in addition to those killed, four people were injured and about 25 to 30 homes were badly damaged.

“This is the worst anyone has seen in a very long time,” Madison County Emergency Management Director Diogenes Ayala said, Associated Press reported. 

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Wendy Burkett told the Des Moines Register she and two daughters were at their residence on aturday afternoon when her husband called her from a nearby shed where he was working and alerted her about a tornado warning. They rushed to their basement as the tornado roared by within seconds. As they clung to each other, a window shattered outwards and water began spewing from the pipes. The tornado passed by quickly, and while the family was unhurt, their home was in ruins amid debris all around.

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The National Weather Service in Des Moines tweeted later on Saturday that initial photos and videos from the damage around the community of Winterset suggested it was at least an EF-3 tornado, capable of causing severe damage, on the Enhanced Fujita scale.