Tornadoes Hammer Nebraska And Iowa

(CTN News) – Tornadoes swept through an Iowa town destroying homes and businesses as they rolled across farmland and subdivisions.

Over 150 homes were destroyed and damaged in Omaha alone by dozens of reported tornadoes Friday in the Midwest.

Only a few dozen people were treated in Omaha-area hospitals, according to Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse. The city’s injuries were not serious, she said. Each neighbor reported a handful of injuries.

Lincoln, Nebraska, was hit by a tornado Friday afternoon. It collapsed with 70 people inside in Lancaster County. Three were injured, but none were life-threatening, authorities said.

EF3 twisters, with winds of 135 to 165 mph, swept through Omaha for about an hour, leaving behind damage consistent with an EF3 tornado.

Ultimately, the twister struck western Omaha’s Elkhorn neighborhood, which is home to 485,000 people. It was a year ago that James Stennis moved to Elkhorn.

It was a late night for firefighters. There were chainsaws in the air by Saturday morning. Stacks of lumber lay on the ground. Branches were missing from trees, and fences were knocked over. After picking up a friend, she surveyed the damage to the house she had called forever. The first time she saw it, she described “utter dread.”.

By morning, there were only 4,300 power outages. Governors Jim Pillen and Kim Reynolds toured the damage and arranged for assistance for the communities. The states plan to request federal assistance after formal damage assessments. In a news conference, Pillen marveled that no casualties have occurred from this cell.

Aaron Hanson, Douglas County Sheriff, pleaded with gawkers to stay home. This is mostly due to looky-loos who are curious,” he said. Property damage will be protected by law enforcement, Hanson said.

Four hanger buildings with 32 privately owned planes were destroyed by a second Tornadoes at Eppley Airfield. No one was hurt, and the terminal wasn’t damaged. In a news release, the airport said operations have resumed, but noncommercial pilots are being restricted from accessing some areas for cleaning.

Winds of 111 to 135 mph were estimated by Franks for this EF2 twister. Tornadoes that hit the city were strong and rare, he said. Having hit the airport, the storm moved on to Minden, Iowa.

There were 40 to 50 destroyed homes. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reported two injuries, none life-threatening, Jeff Theulen said late Friday.

Despite downed power lines, he urged people to stay away from the area, saying people lost houses and cars. In Minden United Church of Christ, which survived the storm and is now a hub of community support, Pastor Eric Biehl said they planned to deliver meals to those in need.

There’s a lot of shock,” Biehl said. I’m overwhelmed.” The first round of tornadoes passed through Omaha before Tammy Pavich breathed a sigh of relief. Minden was hit dead-on by the storm.

A lifelong town resident, Todd Lehan, took refuge in the basement. “It sounded like a vacuum cleaner,” he said.

In Pleasant Hill, Iowa, a suspected tornado damaged nearly 20 homes and injured one. It was causing headaches for Nebraska football fans. DOT warns drivers to buckle up and put their phones down in heavy traffic.

As the National Weather Service evaluated the damage, the forecast for Saturday was ominous. There were tornado watches in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. Hail could also be large. Proms were canceled by some schools due to weather.

In Norman, Oklahoma, meteorologist Bruce Thoren said “tornadoes, perhaps significant tornadoes,” were possible Saturday afternoon and evening.

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