Tornadoes tore through parts of Nebraska and Iowa on Friday, leveling homes, causing the collapse of an industrial building and injuring at least five people, extending an outbreak of severe weather that started the day before.
A tornado struck parts of Nebraska, including Omaha and Waverly, leading to the collapse of an industrial building, injuring at least three people and prompting a widespread emergency response, officials said.
In Lancaster County, the sheriff’s office responded to an industrial building at Garner Industries around 3 p.m. and found it “pretty much totally collapsed” with several people trapped inside, Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said.
Three people were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, he said, adding that roughly 70 people were inside when the tornado struck.
The sheriff’s office also received reports of a derailed train in Waverly, Chief Houchin said, adding, “They didn’t require any emergency assistance, so we’re hoping it’s very minor.”
The National Weather Service also confirmed on social media that a tornado had struck western Omaha.
At least two people suffered minor injuries in the tornado, which “took out a number of houses,” Todd Schmaderer, the Omaha police chief, said at a news conference on Friday evening.
The Omaha Police Department said on social media that emergency personnel were helping those in the path of the tornado and that additional officers were coming to help respond to emergency calls.
James Davidsaver, the director of Lancaster County Emergency Management in Lincoln, Neb., said that “the community of Waverly was impacted by severe weather, including a tornado early this afternoon.”
Stephanie Fisher, the city administrator for Waverly, said there were no reports of injuries or damage within the city.
“I’ve been told that a business outside of the city between Waverly and Lincoln has been hit by the tornado, and there’s a large amount of emergency personnel out there,” she said.
The Bryan Trauma Center at Bryan West Campus treated two patients who were injured in the tornadoes in Lancaster County, said a hospital spokesman, Brad Colee. He said both were in triage.
Images on social media from Iowa also showed widespread damage and leveled buildings in Minden, a city that is a little more than 100 miles west of Des Moines. It was not immediately clear whether if anyone was injured.
More severe weather is possible on Saturday
A widespread risk of dangerous weather remains possible by Saturday, spreading from Texas to Michigan.
Cities such as Oklahoma City, Kansas City and Dallas could experience severe storms. Hail ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs could fall and damaging winds would be possible.
The risk continues Sunday
The threat of severe thunderstorms will continue into Sunday, including areas from southeast Texas to western Illinois.
Storms will be slightly less likely to occur but there will still be some risk of some forming and even producing a couple of tornadoes, and generating quarter-size hail and damaging winds.
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