Tornadoes Strike Nebraska and Iowa, Damaging Hundreds of Houses

Two women help carry a friend's belongings out of their damaged home after a tornado passed through the area in Bennington, Neb., on April 26, 2024. Josh Funk /AP Photo

Tornadoes ripped through parts of Nebraska and Iowa on Friday, causing extensive damage to hundreds of homes and buildings, and leaving at least three people injured, according to multiple reports.

The suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 population, are among the hardest-hit regions, with strong tornadoes destroying hundreds of houses and structures, mostly in the Elkhorn area.

Police and firefighters went door-to-door to help people. Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said they planned to conduct a detailed search of the area, “starting with the properties with most damage.”

“We’ll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we’ll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance,” she told reporters.

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield stated on X, formerly Twitter, that several buildings in the general aviation area sustained damage after a tornado touched down at 5:08 p.m. There were no reports of injuries.

Eppley Airfield said the airport was briefly closed due to the tornado and passengers within the terminal were placed in storm shelters. The airport was later reopened to aircraft operations at 5.59 p.m.

“While the passenger terminal was not impacted by the storm, expect flight delays. Damage assessments in other portions of the airport continue,” it stated in another update.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said that he has directed state resources to be mobilized to assist with the emergency response and support local first responders as they assess the extent of the damage.

“Nebraskans are tough, resilient people, and our neighbors and communities will rally around affected families and businesses to assist them,” the governor stated on X.

“Nebraskans are no strangers to severe weather and, as they have countless times before, Nebraskans will help Nebraskans to rebuild,” he added.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) stated on X that many homes in Elkhorn were destroyed by the tornado. He said that Common Ground Recreation Center will open as an overnight shelter for those who are in need.

“Right now, first responders and volunteer organizations are working to check homes for any injuries or casualties,” he stated. “As damage is assessed, we stand ready to assist the Governor however we can.”

The National Weather Service received reports of damage from several areas in Nebraska and Iowa. The agency stated that a “very large tornado” has been reported in the small city of Minden, Iowa.

There have been no immediate reports of fatalities. Authorities said that at least three people were injured in Nebraska’s Lancaster County when a tornado struck an industrial building, causing it to collapse.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Pottawattamie County in response to the severe weather, which will activate the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program.

“I have approved a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for Pottawattamie County to support storm recovery efforts in Minden. Continuing to monitor the storm and the situation,” she stated on X.

The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.