A tornado swept through suburban Omaha and other parts of Nebraska on Friday, causing extensive damage to hundreds of homes and structures as it roared for miles across farmlands and into residential developments.
Though some injuries were reported, there were no immediate reports of fatalities.
Numerous tornadoes were spotted in Nebraska and Iowa on Friday, but the most damaging one moved from a predominantly rural area into suburbs to the northwest of Omaha, a city with a population of 485,000.
Social media photos showed that the small city of Minden, Iowa, located about 30 miles northeast of Omaha, also suffered significant damage.
A tornado struck Nebraska's Lancaster County on Friday, causing an industrial building to collapse while 70 people were inside, injuring three individuals. Thankfully, the injuries were not life-threatening, and everyone was safely evacuated despite several people being trapped.
In Omaha, hundreds of houses suffered damage, especially in the Elkhorn area in the city's western part, according to Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci.
Emergency services quickly responded, with police and firefighters going door-to-door to assist residents. Omaha fire chief Kathy Bossman mentioned that crews focused on the most heavily impacted areas, implementing a plan to search all possible locations where someone could be trapped.
Omaha fire chief Kathy Bossman outlined the rescue strategy after a tornado struck Nebraska's Lancaster County, saying that teams would focus on properties with the most damage. "They’re going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area," Bossman explained, "starting with the properties with most damage."
Search efforts will cover areas with debris piles and basements to locate and rescue any victims who might need assistance. In one section of Omaha's Elkhorn area, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged, with at least six severely impacted. Among these, one was completely leveled while others had their upper sections torn off. Emergency vehicles filled the area to assist with rescue and recovery operations.
The tornado warning in Omaha came on Friday afternoon, coinciding with school dismissal time. As a safety measure, many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, school buses were still transporting children home.
Another tornado hit Omaha's eastern edge, directly impacting parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Although the extent of damage to the airport is unclear, this adds to the widespread impact of the severe weather event.
Authorities briefly closed Omaha's Eppley Airfield to assess the damage after a tornado struck, but they later reopened the airport for aircraft operations. The tornado had a wide-reaching impact, crossing the Missouri River and entering Iowa north of Council Bluffs after damaging the airport.
In Lancaster County, where three people were injured due to the collapse of an industrial building, sheriff’s officials also reported a train derailment near Waverly. This added to the chaos and extensive damage caused by the tornado.
The Omaha public power district reported that nearly 10,000 customers in the Omaha area experienced power outages due to the storm. Utility workers are working to restore power in affected areas.
Weather conditions for Saturday seemed to promise more turbulent weather, with tornado watches issued for parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Meteorologists warned of potential large hail and strong wind gusts, raising the risk of further damage and disruptions. Residents in these regions were advised to stay alert and take precautions as severe weather could continue.
