Parts of Nebraska and Iowa were devastated by powerful tornadoes Friday. Weather experts predict another storm could bring more destruction to the Midwest.
The ferocity of the storm damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, especially in the suburbs of Omaha, Nebraska.
Elkhorn residents were scavenging through debris Saturday after a tornado devastated the area.
“We saw it land about 200 yards away and then evacuated.” Said Pat Woods – lives in Elkhorn. “We heard sounds coming from inside. When we came up, the fence was gone, and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood was gone.”
“The whole area just north of us is pretty flat,” added Kim Woods, Pat’s wife.
said Jason Sunday, a resident of Elkhorn, Omaha. KETV“We saw it coming from the southwest, and it was too close for comfort, so we rushed downstairs. We were in the bathtub downstairs, and it was… It was like a freight train, just like they said in the movie.”
A tornado destroyed an industrial building in Lancaster County, Nebraska, injuring three people with non-life-threatening injuries. There were 70 people inside, but they were able to evacuate.
Omaha Police Lt. Neil Bonacci said police and firefighters were going door to door to help residents.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen toured the state’s worst-hit areas by tornadoes.
Pirene Said X Social media platforms:
Suzanne and I send our deepest prayers to all those affected by today’s storm. I have ordered that state resources be made available to assist local first responders in assisting with the emergency response and assessing the damage. Nebraskans are a tough and resilient people, and our neighbors and communities will come together to support affected families and businesses. Nebraskans are no strangers to bad weather, and as they have seen many times before, Nebraskans will help Nebraskans rebuild.
In Iowa, the small towns of Minden and Harlan were among the hardest hit by the devastating tornadoes.
There were nearly 80 reports of tornadoes in five states on Friday, corroborated by weather service data and storm chaser records.
There were several reports of injuries, but fortunately no fatalities.
More updates on severe weather in the Midwest:
- Storms left four people injured and required medical treatment in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, according to county emergency management officials.
- In Pottawattamie County, home to about 90,000 people, damage to varying degrees was reported to about 120 homes and businesses, emergency officials said.
- In Omaha, a tornado touched down in the Elkhorn area on Friday, leaving two people with minor injuries. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer credited the city and county’s effective warning systems with mitigating additional casualties and emphasized the benefits of early warning.
- Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster declaration to assist Pottawattamie County with storm recovery efforts following the tornado that hit Minden.
- Emergency responders in Shelby and Douglas counties in Nebraska reported significant property damage from multiple tornadoes on Friday. Residents were forced to evacuate due to storm damage.
- At least two tornadoes touched down in Texas Friday afternoon, as documented in footage on social media.
Severe weather threats including wind damage, potential flooding and large hail occur in Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma and Iowa on Saturday and Sunday.
More than 50 million people are under threat of severe weather on Saturday.
About 18 million people in Nebraska, Iowa and Texas are under flood watches until Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
A tornado warning was issued for the Midwest.
Tornado Watch has arrived issued to 7:00 PM CDT for parts of Kansas and Nebraska.
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More than a dozen tornadoes hit Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraskawww.youtube.com
