OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Strong storms swept through eastern Nebraska early Saturday morning, resulting in significant destruction, including the loss of one life and serious injuries to another individual at a state park. The storms also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, leading to the displacement of hundreds of inmates when two housing units at the Nebraska State Penitentiary were compromised.
Emergency responders were called to Two Rivers State Park, located approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) west of Omaha, just before 7 a.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, they discovered that a large cottonwood tree had fallen on a vehicle, crushing it. The storm had unleashed wind gusts exceeding 80 mph (129 kph) in the area, as reported by the National Weather Service. A woman in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, while a man was trapped inside. It took firefighters around 90 minutes to rescue him due to the considerable size and weight of the tree. After being extricated, the man was transported to an Omaha hospital with life-threatening injuries, as stated by Waterloo Fire Chief Travis Harlow.
The severe winds caused by the storm resulted in widespread damage across eastern Nebraska. Numerous trees were uprooted, roofs were damaged, and electrical lines were brought down, leaving thousands without power shortly after the incident. Notably, in Blair, located 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Omaha, the severe winds tore the roof off a warehouse, exacerbating the region's challenges.
In Lincoln, Nebraska's capital, two housing units at the Nebraska State Penitentiary were damaged due to the strong winds, leading to the displacement of 387 inmates. Fortunately, the state Department of Correctional Services confirmed that there were no reported injuries and that all staff and incarcerated individuals were safe and accounted for during the event.
The storm impacts extended beyond Nebraska, affecting parts of eastern Wisconsin as well. The National Weather Service noted that gusts reached 60 mph (97 kph) in the Door Peninsula area of Wisconsin. As additional storms were anticipated throughout the Midwest, the weather service warned that conditions would likely remain dangerous, projecting severe weather from western Colorado extending through Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, northern Missouri, and into Illinois and Wisconsin from Saturday night into Sunday.
As communities begin to assess the damage and recover from the storm's impact, the full extent of the destruction remains to be tallied. Authorities continue to address the aftermath, with power restoration efforts underway and emergency responses being coordinated across the affected regions.
