Killer Iowa Twister Was an F-5

PARKERSBURG — A tornado which claimed the lives of seven people, injured scores of others and laid waste to a third of the city of Parkersburg was the most intense tornado to hit Iowa in more than 30 years, officials said here today

Officials with the Nartional Weather Service are officially rating Sunday evening’s killer tornado an F-5 in intensity at a news conference in Parkersburg today.

Winds during the twister are estimated to have been 200 mph, based on an assessment of the damage in the community, Weather Service officials said.

"This is subjective, but we don’t do this lightly," said Karl Jungbluth of the National Weather Service.

Parkersburg took several more definitive steps forward in the recovery process Tuesday. Water service has been restored and is fit for cleaning but not for drinking. MidAmerican Energy has more than 300 workers on the ground in Parkersburg working to restore power. The utility repoorted 1,002 power outages. Of that number, 320 are unfit to receive service. The company hopes to restore power to the remaining 682 customers by Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities encourage residents to stay clear of power company work crews for safety reasons.

Customers with service fit to be restored should shut their breakers off until they are told power is restored officials said.

MidAmerican expects to restore natural gas service by Thursday.

Also, Bethel Lutheran Church at Third Avenue and Second Street in Parkersburg will hold a community service at 7 p.m. tonight.

On Wednesday a bus will leave the veterans building in Parkerburg every hour between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to transport peopole to Aplington for various forms of assistance including clothing and other services.