CNN
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Millions of people were under tornado watches in parts of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma on Saturday evening, a day after devastating tornadoes ripped through Nebraska and Iowa.
The tornado warning area includes the Kansas City metropolitan area, southeastern Kansas, and western and central Missouri, a population of 2.7 million people, according to the National Weather Service. This warning means severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area and could last until midnight Pacific time.
A separate tornado warning area covering much of Oklahoma and parts of north Texas was extended until 3 a.m. CT.
A third warning area has been issued for parts of eastern Iowa, northeastern Missouri, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois, also in effect until midnight CT.
The other was in effect until 4 a.m. CT for eastern and central Missouri and central and western Illinois, including St. Louis.
A total of about 9 million people were under tornado watches from late Saturday night into early Sunday morning across more than 1,300 miles from Texas to southern Wisconsin.
Here’s the latest information:
• The tornado touched down just east of Tinker Air Force Base in Norman, Oklahoma, at 9:49 p.m. PT, the National Weather Service reported. There were no immediate reports of damage.
• As of 8 p.m. PT, there were 11 tornadoes reported in Kansas and two in Missouri, the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said.
• Oklahoma’s emergency operations center was activated Saturday, according to a Facebook post from Gov. Kevin Stitt. He told residents to “stay aware of the weather and know where to take shelter if severe storms threaten your area.”
• Multiple tornado warnings were issued for Kansas, Oklahoma and north Texas as storm cells emerged and moved across the region Saturday afternoon.
• A new tornado watch has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center for eastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, northeastern Missouri, and all of southwestern Wisconsin, including Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa. The watch covers 1.5 million people and lasts until 12 a.m. CDT.
The severe weather threat is expected to continue into Sunday, with strong tornadoes possible from Nebraska to Texas, including Dallas, Austin, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City and Wichita.
The National Weather Prediction Center warned of a “high risk of heavy rain and flash flooding” in a small area east of Oklahoma City. It warned that high-risk areas could receive more than 3 to 6 inches of rain, with more than 1 to 2 inches per hour.
The warning included a high chance of severe flash flooding in parts of east-central Oklahoma, with higher rainfall totals likely starting late Saturday night.
In other states, residents are struggling with damage left behind by powerful twisters.
The Elkhorn area of Omaha, Nebraska, was among the hardest hit areas after severe storms pounded parts of the Plains and South early Friday afternoon, authorities said.A powerful tornado has occurred Local authorities said crews searched homes for trapped or injured people..
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen told reporters Saturday that it was a miracle there were no deaths.
After visiting the disaster area, the governor said he was deeply humbled to see the extent of the damage, adding that he met several families who lost their homes after only a few months of living there.
One of the tornadoes that hit Douglas County had winds exceeding 135 mph and had a preliminary rating of EF-3, said Chris Franks of the National Weather Service. The other plane that hit Omaha’s airport appeared to be an EF-2, he added.
Omaha’s Eppley Field resumed aircraft operations Saturday, but delays are expected, city officials said. The passenger terminal was not affected by the storm, but the airport was continuing to assess the damage.
Two people in Omaha were treated for minor injuries after a tornado ripped through the Elkhorn area on Friday. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, “We believe there were very few injuries because Omaha and Douglas County’s warning systems were very effective.” “We didn’t get hit by a sudden storm. People were warning about this, and it saved lives.”
00:44 – Source: CNN
Video shows violent tornado crossing highway in Nebraska
Meanwhile, in nearby Iowa, a large tornado was reported in the small city of Minden, according to the National Weather Service. Footage obtained by CNN shows destroyed structures and widespread debris.
Four people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, were treated for storm-related injuries, county emergency management officials announced in a news release early Saturday morning.
About 120 homes and businesses were damaged in Pottawattamie County, where Minden is located and home to about 90,000 people. “Based on preliminary information, the extent of the damage varies,” emergency officials said.
In a suburb of Lincoln, Nebraska, a tornado tore off the roofs of homes and tore through part of Interstate 80. A tornado struck near Waverly, derailing multiple train cars, a railroad spokesperson said.
Margery A. Beck/AP
Debris can be seen from a destroyed home northwest of Omaha, Nebraska, after a storm hit the area Friday.
At least two tornadoes were observed in Texas Friday afternoon. Video posted on social media showed a twister that appeared to be circling a large field northeast of Waco.
There were nearly 80 reports of tornadoes in at least five states Friday, many confirmed by footage from National Weather Service agencies and storm trackers.
Jason Sunday, a resident of Omaha’s hard-hit Elkhorn neighborhood, described the tornado as a “freight train.” As that approached, he took refuge in his home, which he had just moved into 30 days earlier, CNN affiliate KETV reported.
“I could see the wind coming in from the southwest, but it was getting too close for me to feel safe, so I hurried downstairs. We were in the bathtub downstairs, just like in the movies. It looked like a freight train, just as it was described,” he told CNN affiliate KETV on Sunday.
“And I knew the roof was going to come off because there was this loud, sucking motion. It was pretty scary.”
The tornado caused severe damage to the Sunday family’s dream home.
“We’re grateful to be alive. We’re so grateful,” Sunday added.
John Wells, a volunteer cleanup in the town of Brea, just north of Omaha, said he saw widespread storm damage Friday.
“There are overturned propane tanks. Some houses don’t even have foundations. We don’t even know where they were,” he told KETV. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
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Damaging storms are also possible from Texas to Wisconsin on Sunday. However, the exact timing, extent and strength of these storms will largely depend on Saturday night’s storm.
In particular, areas from northeast Texas to southern Iowa and western Illinois face the greatest risk of damaging storms that can bring strong winds and large hail. Although there is a single tornado, he may also cause one or two.
Heavy rain could lead to flooding, especially in parts of the lower Mississippi River basin.
