Severe weather here in the Omaha area. ---- A tornado touched down in Nebraska at 10:30pm on Thursday night, destroying a home near Bennet and moving near Palmyra and Elmwood. The National Weather Service said the tornado was, at 10:45 p.m. CDT, north of Palmyra, or 17 miles east of Lincoln, and moving northeast at 30 miles per hour. (see a full movement tracker below) “A tornado is on the ground. Take cover now!” the service warned. Damage from the tornado could include destroyed mobile homes, and flying debris will likely “be deadly to people and animals.” “Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle or outdoors … Move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.” Jeff Piotrowski, a storm chaser, said via Twitter that there is “Large amounts of debris falling from the sky.” “Flying debris will be deadly to people and animals. Tree damage is likely,” said the service. There is ping-pong ball-sized hail falling, as well. The tornado has destroyed a home one mile south of Bennet and a spotter said that the tornado is going down Highway 2, and is north of Palmyra, the Lincoln Journal Star reported at 10:51 p.m. CDT. Highway 2 is closed with damage and power lines down. The news agency said that it received reports “that travel on HWY 2 impossible due to damage/debris in area near Bennet and Palmyra.” The Lincoln Fire & Rescue is reporting multiple people are trapped in homes damaged by the tornado. Katie McMullen, a resident of Nebraska, told the storm chasing service TwistersChaser: “Cars are destroyed at Wagon Trail. Plus one of the houses that was destroyed south of Bennet lost their roof in the Hallam tornado & now their house is gone. So sad! Reports of people trapped in their houses & emergency management is going house to house down Hickman road checking on families. Very scary situation here!!!” The tornado warning was canceled at approximately 11:35 p.m. A tornado watch remained in effect for the warned area, which includes eastern Sarpy County, eastern Cass County, and Mills County. Places possibly impacted included Council Bluffs, Bellevue, Glenwood, Weeping water, Nehawka, Offutt Air Force Base, Tabor, Silver City, and Camp Maha.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 04:59:55 +0000