Local NewsTornado rampage in Nebraska. Thousands were without power, homes damaged

Tornado rampage in Nebraska. Thousands were without power, homes damaged

Sky News reported that hundreds of homes were damaged, and nearly 10,000 people were left without power on Saturday after a tornado tore through Nebraska. Local police announced that although there were no fatalities, several individuals sustained minor injuries.

Effects of the tornado in Nebraska

Images source: © Associated Press, East News | Chris Machian

RAM

9:42 AM EDT, April 28, 2024

The police stated that the Elkhorn region suffered significant damage, with rescuers moving from house to house to assist those trapped by debris.

Tornadoes in the USA

In Elkhorn, residents Pat and Kim Woods sought shelter as the tornado approached, a mere 656 feet away.

"We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood’s gone" Pat recounted. His wife added, "The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened"

A storm system capable of producing tornadoes presented a threat across a broad swath of the country, from Michigan in the north to Texas in the south. One of the hardest-hit areas was the Omaha region in Nebraska.

On the outskirts of Lincoln, Nebraska, a tornado ripped roofs off houses and caused severe damage to a section of the Interstate I-80 highway. A railway spokesperson reported that near Waverly, numerous train cars were derailed by the tornado's force. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen declared it a miracle that no lives were lost.

In Douglas County, one of the tornadoes reached wind speeds of nearly 136 mph, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Another tornado impacted the airport in Omaha.

Adjacent Iowa also experienced the fury of a potent tornado in the small town of Minden, causing significant damage. In Pottawattamie County, about 120 residential and commercial buildings were damaged.

Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds declared a state of disaster. The risk of severe storms was expected to linger into Sunday, with Saturday possibly being the most perilous day.