Tornado kills four at Iowa camp

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Eyewitness Thomas White describes the scene

At least four people have been killed by a tornado that devastated a boy scout camp in the US state of Iowa.

Officials say as many as 40 people were injured at the camp near Little Sioux, in the west of the state.

More than 100 people were reportedly at the site when the tornado struck at about 1900 (2300 GMT).

The US tornado season - which peaks in the spring and early summer and affects many mid-Western states - has been particularly deadly this year.

In May, seven people died when a tornado hit two towns near Iowa's state capital, Des Moines.

Dozens of people were killed by tornadoes in several other states in recent weeks.

Iowa and other mid-Western states also suffered serious flooding earlier this week.

There were 93 scouts, aged between 13 and 18, and 25 staff members at the camp, Iowa Homeland Security spokeswoman Julie Tack was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

She said there were fears that some people might be still trapped under debris.

A search and rescue operation is continuing, and the injured were being taken to hospitals.