Search for survivors under way in leveled town
Story Highlights• NEW: Kansas emergency management confirms 10th death
• Weather service predicts more tornadoes on Plains
• President Bush declares major disaster in southwest Kansas
• Most of Greensburg, Kansas, heavily damaged or destroyed
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GREENSBURG, Kansas (CNN) -- Rescue workers Sunday continued sifting through piles of rubble -- some towering as high as 30 feet -- looking for survivors from a wave of tornado-packing storms that killed 10 people and essentially wiped Greensburg, Kansas, off the map.
The National Weather Service, meanwhile, predicted the Central Plains may see more devastation as another spate of storms -- along with a "few strong tornadoes" -- was predicted to slam into the area Sunday afternoon and evening.
"The areas most likely to experience this activity include central Kansas, western Oklahoma and the eastern Texas Panhandle," the weather service said.
The search for survivors in Greensburg was suspended Saturday when a second round of storms struck the already-devastated region. (Watch a 360-degree look at the devastation that twisters left behind in Greensburg )
Eight of the 10 people killed in the storms were in Kiowa County, of which Greensburg is the county seat.
A sheriff's deputy was reportedly killed in nearby Stafford County, and the state emergency management agency confirmed a 10th storm-related death in Ottawa, 250 miles northeast of Greensburg.
Though every effort has been made to find Greensburg residents trapped beneath the debris left in the Friday storm's wake, "we're not going to rest until we know for sure," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the Kansas emergency management director.
In some places, Bunting said, rubble was piled 20 to 30 feet deep. (Watch homes turned into piles of bricks and splintered wood )
Greensburg survivors, meanwhile, were finding out Sunday that there are few places to go in this town of 1,500.
Every church was destroyed, the hospital roof collapsed and every business on the town's main thoroughfare was demolished, according to The Associated Press. Fire engines were crushed, and cars and trucks were tossed about, AP reported.
Among the surviving structures are a battered courthouse, huge concrete silos and a tavern, which was briefly converted into a morgue, AP reported.
City Administrator Steve Hewitt has described Greensburg as "gone." A Kansas Highway Patrol spokesman said there is "absolutely nothing left." The Red Cross estimate that 90 percent of the city is destroyed or heavily damaged.
"I believe 95 percent of the homes are gone. Downtown buildings are gone, my home is gone, and we've got to find a way to make this work and get this town back on its feet," Hewitt said. (Watch Hewitt tour devastation that includes his own home )
More than 60 people were injured, authorities said, and the Red Cross reported that at least 400 residents were taken to shelters in schools and other facilities in nearby towns.
There was no gas, electricity or running water in Greensburg, the Red Cross said.
Authorities imposed a curfew on the town Saturday night as several tornado warnings were issued for Kiowa County, about 100 miles west of Wichita. The Kansas National Guard enforced the curfew from 8 p.m. CT Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.
There were no confirmed tornadoes in Kiowa County during the curfew, though a twister touched down about 225 miles to the south in Sweetwater, Oklahoma, damaging a high school and other buildings. (Watch how Sweetwater took a direct hit )
"The tornado came through and just dead-center punched Sweetwater," Roger Mills County Sheriff Joe Hay told KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City.
KOCO also reported seeing damage from another confirmed tornado just east of Arnett, Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service said more than 50 tornadoes touched down in Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday. (Watch a tornado bear down on an Oklahoma storm chaser )
Greensburg is best known for having the world's largest hand-dug well and being home to a 1,000-pound pallasite, or stony-iron, meteorite. After the storm, the structure around the well was gone, and there were reports the meteorite was missing.
As President Bush offered his condolences and declared Kiowa County a major disaster area Sunday, The Wichita Eagle described how some of the county's residents dodged the twister's wrath by huddling in bathtubs or in convenience store coolers. (Watch an aerial view of the devastation )
Julie Harshey told the newspaper how she clutched a doorknob as the wind lifted her off her feet and swept dishes from her kitchen cupboard.
Beth Dubro explained to the Eagle how she hid from the storm in her bathroom: "I just sat down on the toilet lid and prayed."
Bush's declaration makes federal aid available to those affected by the storm.
"I hope that helps. It's going to take a long time for the community to recover," Bush said, applauding the Midwest's "pioneer spirit."
"I'm confident this community will be rebuilt, and to the extent that we can help, we will," the president said.
A White House statement said the assistance made available by a disaster declaration "can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster."
