A tornado tore through the suburbs of Omaha, Nebraska (midwestern United States) this Friday, causing damage to hundreds of homes and other infrastructure across extensive kilometers of agricultural land. Although some injuries were reported, there were no immediate reports of fatalities.
The most devastating storm moved from predominantly rural areas toward the northwest suburbs of Omaha, a city with a population of 485,000.
Images shared on social media revealed that even the small town of Minden, Iowa, located about 30 miles northeast of Omaha, also suffered considerable damage.
In Lancaster County, Nebraska, three people were injured when the tornado hit an industrial building, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. All people were evacuated and the injuries were not life-threatening, according to authorities.
In Omaha, hundreds of homes were damaged, especially in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city. Police and firefighters conducted search and rescue efforts, focusing on the most affected areas to ensure the safety of residents.
“We are going to put together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with the most damage,” said Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman.
“We will search properties through piles of rubble, we will search basements, we will try to find victims and we will make sure that everyone who needs help is rescued,” he added.
The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area this Friday afternoon, just as some children were leaving school.
Many educational institutions activated their safety measures by having students shelter in place until the storm passed. Even hours later, school buses were still taking students home.
“We will search properties through piles of rubble, we will search basements, we will try to find victims and we will make sure that everyone who needs help is rescued,” he added.
The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area this Friday afternoon, just as some children were leaving school.
Many educational institutions activated their safety measures by having students shelter in place until the storm passed. Even hours later, school buses were still taking students home.
In one section of Elkhorn, numerous newly built homes were damaged. At least six were completely devastated, and several more had their tops torn off. The area was full of emergency vehicles.
“We saw it (the tornado) about 200 yards away and then we took shelter,” said Elkhorn resident Pat Woods.
“We could hear it going by. When we left the shelter, our fence was gone and we looked northwest and the entire neighborhood was gone,” she expressed.
Three people, including a minor, were in the basement of one of the destroyed homes at the time of the tornado’s arrival. Fortunately, they managed to escape unharmed, according to Dhaval Naik, who claimed to be cooperating with the owner of the residence.
A KETV-TV video captured the moment a woman was evacuated on a stretcher from the rubble of a home in Blair, a town north of Omaha.
Bonacci reported that only two individuals needed to be transported for medical attention, presenting minor injuries. He mentioned that a second inspection of the residences is currently being carried out.
Local authorities reported that only two individuals needed to be transported for medical attention, presenting minor injuries. They also mentioned that a second inspection of the residences is currently being carried out and that rescue teams will work continuously throughout the night to examine all damaged buildings and verify that they are unoccupied.
“The warnings issued were crucial to saving lives,” said Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, referring to the small number of injuries.
“Was it a long-track tornado or were it multiple tornadoes?” said Becky Kern, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Omaha office.
The representative mentioned that the agency plans to deploy several teams in the coming days to evaluate the number and intensity of the tornadoes, estimating that the complete review could take up to two weeks.
“Some of the tornadoes appeared to be of high intensity,” he added. “Tornadoes were recorded in different areas. This is what we call forensic meteorology, which consists of correlating all signs of damage.”
Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city’s airport. Authorities suspended air operations to assess the damage, but later reopened the facilities, said Steve McCoy, director of strategy for the Omaha Airport Authority.
The passenger terminal was not damaged by the tornado, but people headed to storm shelters until the phenomenon passed, McCoy said.
After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and entered Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.
In Lancaster County, where three people were injured after an industrial building collapsed, officials also reported a derailed train near Waverly.
Please pray for Nebraska .. so many are not ok 🙏🏻
pic.twitter.com/vOaZUsDR1n— Mahatma Gandhi (Parody) (@GandhiAOC) April 27, 2024
Two of those injured in the county were receiving treatment at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, according to a statement from the hospital. The center said the patients were being evaluated and did not provide details about their condition.
The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.
Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees when “a sizable tornado appeared to form” northeast of the city.
“It started raining, then it hailed, and then the clouds started spinning and coming together. As soon as the wind picked up, we headed to the basement, although we never saw it,” Fienhold said.
The forecast for this Saturday was discouraging. The National Weather Service issued tornado watches for parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Forecasters warned of the possibility of hail and intense wind gusts.
“Everything indicates that there could be another significant outbreak tomorrow,” Kern said. “Maybe a little further south.”
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