A tornado touched down in the small town of Delmontm South Dakota  about 10:45 a.m. Sunday, May 10, 2015, destroying homes, crushing a water tower, church and smashing a brand new fire station in its path.

Sirens interrupted Sunday school classes at Zion Lutheran Church, where children took shelter in the basement as the twister toppled part of the structure. No one was injured inside.

Photo: Zion Lutheran Church in Delmont, S.D., is demolished after an EF2 tornado roars through the town May 10, taking off the roof of the church but leaving Sunday-school children and teachers huddled in the basement unharmed. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

There were no fatalities. Nine people were injured, and seven of them were treated and released, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. One was admitted to the hospital in Armour, and another was transported to Sioux Falls. The extent of their injuries was unknown.

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls graded the tornado as an EF-2 with peak winds of 130 mph. It started around 10:25 a.m. three miles east of Wagner, grew to 400 yards wide, and covered 17.3 miles, ending five miles north of Delmont about 10:55 a.m.

Nearly 50 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed, most of which were homes. About 100 people were affected, close to half the town's population.

Recovery efforts are underway

The Red Cross has set up operations at the the old fire hall in Delmont.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard activated about 25 members of the South Dakota National Guard’s 114th Fighter Wing Civil Engineer Squadron to assist with tornado recovery efforts in the community of Delmont, May 11, 2015.

First State Bank has set up a recovery fund in Delmont. Donations can be mail to 112 West Main Street Box 68 Delmont, SD  57330. Or, click here to donate online

LSS Volunteer Reception Center opened this morning for volunteer registration. It is stationed at the baseball field located in the southwest corner of Delmont. Parking will be available adjacent to the ball field. Volunteers will have to walk into the affected area.

Photos: Friends, family and volunteers sort through the damage after a tornado went through the town of Delmont, South Dakota.  Photo by KDLT.

Those wanting to volunteer must register and receive a badge before they can help. The badge will be used for volunteer check in and check out and will need to be worn while in the city. To assist with the registration process, people are asked to bring their driver’s license or other state-issued ID. Volunteer efforts will focus on helping residents pick up yard debris. Those who help are asked to wear proper clothing such as jeans, long sleeved shirts, gloves, boots and eye protection. For safety reasons, volunteers should NOT wear open-toed shoes.

The LSS Volunteer Reception Center will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call Lisa Adler at 605-212-9605.

Directions to the Volunteer Reception Center:

For volunteers traveling to Delmont from either the north or south on Highway 37, turn west on Highway 18 and then north on 401st Street.

For volunteers traveling to Delmont from either north or south on Highway 281, turn east on Highway 18 and then north on 401st Street.