Washington, Mar 7 (IANS): At least seven people were killed after a tornado ripped through multiple counties in the US state of Iowa, according to authorities.

Six people, including two children, were killed and four others injured in Madison County, a local emergency agency said.

At least two dozen homes in the county were damaged or destroyed, according to the agency.

An individual in a rural area near Lucas County was also reportedly killed during the storm, reports Xinhua news agency.

Photos and videos from around Winterset, the county seat of Madison County, suggested at least EF3 (Enhanced Fujita scale) tornado damage occurred late Saturday afternoon, meteorologists said.

An EF3 tornado has wind speeds between 218 and 266 km per hour.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said that she had joined with local leaders "to tour the devastating damage" in Madison County on Sunday.

"It was absolutely heartbreaking to see firsthand the destruction left behind," Reynolds added.

Several severe storms had been forecasted in the Iowa region throughout Saturday.

A tornado warning was issued for parts of Arkansas, southeast Oklahoma, and southern Missouri through Sunday evening.

The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the intensity of tornadoes in some countries, including the US and Canada, based on the severity of the damage caused.