A tornado touched down on Friday near Madison and Stanton in Nebraska, and destroyed homes near Wayne before moving into Iowa and South Dakota.
A strong storm system produced at least six separate tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.
The first tornado was confirmed near Wayne at 5:34 p.m., according to the service.
The service warned that people should take cover and that homes would be damaged or destroyed.
The tornado originally touched down near Stanton, or 11 miles southeast of Norfolk.
Chad Cowan, a storm chaser, said via Twitter that he spotted it four miles east of Madison.
“Just formed right on top of me, lofted corn, and damaged at least one out building,” he said.
Some of the greatest damage from tornadoes seemed to be in Wayne, Neb., a town of 9,600 where witnesses said at least four homes were destroyed. Mayor Ken Chamberlain said all of the residents in town were accounted for, but the storm caused millions of dollars in damage to an area that includes businesses and the city’s softball complex.
At least 15 people were hurt in Wayne, but Chamberlain said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening. Seven of the injuries stemmed from two separate automobile accidents.
There are also reports of at least 16 damaged homes and three destroyed homes in and near Macy, Nebraska, as well as some injuries.
The Nebraska/Southwest Iowa chapter of the Red Cross said it opened two shelters for people impacted by the tornado.
Sioux City television station KTIV reported that trees around town were stripped of their bark and trees, and power lines were down. Cellphone service was not working.
“It’s a mess,” Lt. Tony Wingert, of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, told the Argus Leader. He said that there are more than 30 homes destroyed, and farms and cars. Most of the damage appeared to be in rural areas around Sioux City.
Witnesses say the tornado that tore from Wayne to Emerson, Nebraska appeared to be 2 miles wide.
The tornado and storm has since moved on, along the border of Iowa and South Dakota. At some points appearing to be two tornadoes moving in parallel, the storm moved into, doing “major damage” to towns and cities, including Quimby.
Other tornadoes produced by the storm system included near Hinton, Iowa; and Moville to Cherokee, Iowa (the service said that there was likely more than one tornado along this path).
See the progression below and more photos and information.
Story developing; check back for updates
Here’s a rough timeline of the tornado:
4:36: Tornado reported near Stanton and Madison
4:45: National Weather Service confirms tornado
5:00: Tornado is now a strong storm capable of producing a tornado, says the service
5:20: Tornado spotted near Wayne
5:34: Second tornado spotted near Wakefield
5:40: Reports of multiple homes destroyed south of Wayne
5:55: Tornado is near Emerson
6:00: A tornado was located near Macy, or 26 miles south of Sioux City
6:09: Tornado near Sloan, moving northeast at 40 miles per hour
6:20: A “mile-wide tornado” was reported by Woodbury Emergency Management, just north of the city of Sloan in Iowa at 310 Street and I-29.
6:24: Tornado located near Salix, and moving northeast at 30 miles per hour.
6:32: Tornado was six miles northeast of Salix, and moving northeast at 45 miles per hour. A “second circulation” was developing 10 miles south of Moville and may produce a tornado at any time.
6:37: A 1/2 mile to 1 mile wide tornado was 10 miles west of Hinton, Iowa, near Jefferson, South Dakota.
6:54: National Weather Service not confirming a tornado anymore, calling the storm “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado.” It’s located near Jefferson and moving northeast at 45 miles per hour.
7:02: The service said that a “mile-wide tornado” is located five miles east of Moville, South Dakota. “If you are near Pierson, IA, and Correctionville, IA take shelter now. There is a tornado approaching your area,” it said.
7:14: Two tornadoes appear to be moving in parallel with each other, according to radar signatures. One is “leveling everything in its path” in Washta, Iowa, according to a storm chaser.
7:22: Tornado reported near Hinton, Iowa.
7:32: A “tornadic storm” was approaching Quimby, Iowa, and was moving towards Cherokee, after being near Hinton. Le Mars may get hit, too.
7:40: A “large tornado” near Quimby, with “major damage reported,” said the National Weather Service. “Take cover in Cherokee immediately!”
7:46: tornado reported by law enforcement one mile south of Cherokee
7:50: Tornado emergency declared for Cherokee, Iowa; tornado warning issued for northwest Buena Vista County until 8:30
7:59: A “large and extremely dangerous” tornado was near Cherokee, and moving northeast at 30 miles per hour
8:12: “Tornadic storm” has moved to near the Buena Vista and Cherokee County line east of Larrabee, IA
8:25: A “severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” was near Peterson and moving northeast at 35 miles per hour.
8:55: The storm was six miles north of Webb, Iowa, and moving northeast at 40 miles per hour
9:06: The storm was 11 miles west of Emmetsburg, moving northeast at 40 miles per hour. It wasn’t a tornado but it was capable of producing a tornado.
9:46: No tornado warnings are in effect.
Follow Zachary Stieber on Twitter
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
