Powerful storms kill 8 in Midwest

Severe thunderstorms packing large hail and tornadoes rumbled across the nation's midsection on Sunday, killing at least eight people and damaging dozens of homes, authorities said.

Seven of the dead were killed by a tornado in northeast Iowa - five from Parkersburg, 130 km northeast of Des Moines, and two from nearby New Hartford, according to Iowa Homeland Security administrator Dave Miller. At least 50 injuries were reported.

"Occasionally we have a death but we have warning system. Seven deaths. It's been a long time since we've had those kinds of injuries and deaths reported," Miller said.