Watch: Tornado rips across highway in Nebraska
A storm chaser in Nebraska has captured the moment a massive tornado ripped across a highway on Friday.
The twister, which was moving at about 40mph, crossed Interstate 80, northeast of Lincoln, the state capital.
Multiple tornadoes have been reported across the state but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.
A clip shared on social media appears to show that one tornado was strong enough to flip a large articulated truck onto its side.
The storm pushed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, destroying homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland
In a clip shared online by Bryce Shelton, a videographer who records tornadoes and other storms, drivers can be seen pulling over to the side of the 80 to escape the path of the colossal twister.
Tornado just crossed i-80 Northeast of Lincoln, Nebraska. pic.twitter.com/mOgknDcCvF
— Bryce Shelton (@BryceShelton01) April 26, 2024
TORNADO INTERCEPT from the LIVE stream moments ago Northeast of Lincoln, Nebraska. As the tornado crosses over i-80. I am still LIVE on YouTube - https://t.co/Qwvmm5rdmm pic.twitter.com/RJYzMnXBaz
— Bryce Shelton (@BryceShelton01) April 26, 2024
In another clip by videographer Aaron Jayjack, a truck appears to have been overturned on a highway.
VIOLENT tornado just crossed the interstate 80 Lincoln, NE @RadarOmega #newx pic.twitter.com/bQM5UVLyrJ
— Aaron Jayjack (@aaronjayjack) April 26, 2024
Photos on social media showed heavily damaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.
KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a demolished home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.
Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said damage is just now being reported. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn’t seen any injuries yet.
Severe weather can make great photos, but dangerous travel. If traveling this afternoon or this evening, check the weather forecast. If you come across a tornado, pull over and find shelter, if there is no shelter, go to a ditch or low laying area. Never try to out run a tornado! pic.twitter.com/0RXN4tmhYB
— Nebraska DOT (@NebraskaDOT) April 26, 2024
Before the tornado hit the Omaha area, three workers were injured on Friday afternoon when a tornado struck an industrial plant in Lancaster County, sheriff’s officials said in an update on the damage.
The building just northeast of the state capital of Lincoln had collapsed with about 70 employees inside and several people trapped, sheriff’s officials said. Everyone was evacuated, and three people had injuries that were considered not life-threatening, authorities said.
Officials say they also had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, also in Lancaster County, about 12 miles north east of Lincoln.
The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.
The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Forecasters warned that large hail and damaging wind gusts were possible.