Numerous tornadoes struck the central United States on Friday. They left at least three injured, according to the authorities. The American weather services (NWS) have so far totaled around a hundred phenomena of this type, compared to 70 during a first survey. They mainly occurred around the city of Omaha, Nebraska and near Iowa.
Although no deaths have been recorded so far, the material damage is significant. Dozens of buildings were destroyed, power lines were torn down and trains were derailed.
These meteorological monsters which take shape under storms have sometimes reached impressive dimensions. This was particularly the case in Bennington, Nebraska.
In Elkhorn, a suburb of Omaha, homes were razed and roofs flew off. “Emergency services are continuing to check the affected houses and providing assistance to any injured people,” local police said.
Further south, near the town of Lincoln, a tornado struck an industrial hangar. The 70 people who were there during the collapse were evacuated. But three of them are injured, without a life-threatening condition. Near the city, a tornado was filmed as it crossed a road.
This photo testifies to the power of the phenomenon which has affected the sector.
In the neighboring state of Iowa, the size of tornadoes remained significant at times. This was the case near Minden for example.
In Council Bluffs, also in Iowa, these tornado chasers witnessed the destruction of two homes that were in the path of a tornado that cut their path. They explain that the residents were sheltered and are “safe and sound”.
In a compilation of their chase of various tornadoes, this other team shows that they passed right by a truck that was overturning on the road due to the power of the winds. She also got very close to one of these weather monsters.
Filmed from further away, these images show different examples of tornadoes that occurred on Friday. In Waverly, Nebraska, there is a lot of debris flying away.
Finally, these images allow you to see the formation of these tornadoes from the sky. This is an outbreak, that is to say the sudden formation of a violent and massive phenomenon.
The NWS expects this wave of tornadoes to continue this Saturday across this vast region of agricultural plains, including as far as Texas. This map shows which areas will be most exposed. Besides Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas are the areas most at risk. So did Missouri and, again, Nebraska and Iowa. More generally, the entire region from the border between Texas and Mexico to the Great Lakes and the border with Canada is concerned.
According to the channel The weather channel, it is rather the Midwest sector, that is to say the Great Lakes and neighboring regions, as well as border Canada which would be the most exposed. The phenomena could be even more violent than those of Friday.
Authorities are reminding residents in areas exposed to future tornadoes to take underground shelters with an emergency kit. If this is not possible, it is recommended to stay on the ground floor in a room without windows to limit the risk of deadly flying debris.
