Cleanup efforts are underway throughout Eastern Nebraska following a series of devastating tornadoes that swept through the area Friday.
A tornado touched down shortly before 4 p.m. on April 26 in northeast Lincoln and hit Waverly before storm systems pushed north through Waterloo, Elkhorn and Blair, leveling homes along the way.
The National Weather Service released storm statistics Monday. Of the tornadoes in the NWS Omaha coverage area, a total track length of 162.5 miles was reported. The maximum single tornado track length was 40.9 miles, and the maximum tornado width was one mile. The combined time tornadoes were on the ground was 4 hours and 51 minutes, and the maximum wind speed recorded was 165 mph.
As of Monday, the NWS reported five EF-3 tornadoes, two EF-2 tornadoes and two EF-1 tornadoes.
In a Saturday afternoon briefing, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said 78 tornados were spawned by the storm system across the region.
On Sunday, Gov. Jim Pillen issued an emergency declaration that will allow the use of a Nebraska Emergency Management Act emergency fund to respond to storm damage in three counties.
Counties covered in this declaration include Douglas, Washington, and Lancaster. Pillen called it "an extraordinary miracle" there were no serious injuries and no loss of life. The governor joined leaders from the Omaha, Bennington, Elkhorn and Waterloo areas in thanking Nebraskans for listening to weather forecasts that warned them to take shelter during Friday’s storms.
Pillen said he missed a call Saturday from President Joe Biden, who left a message offering whatever assistance Nebraska needs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said a cleanup timeline is still unknown.
"We really don't know how widespread this is," she said. "We're still at a point where we're assessing the damage."
Stothert said Pillen told her during a call that an estimated 250 homes had been destroyed in Washington County -- home to Blair, Arlington and Fort Calhoun -- after flying over the county.
For now, Stothert said her administration's biggest priority is helping residents get back into their homes. She said she's heard the storm damaged up to 150 homes, destroying about 50 of those.
The Douglas County planning department will waive fees for electrical and construction permit applications to repair storm-related damage. Inspectors will also prioritize applications from storm-hit areas.
Stothert said it seems displaced residents have been able to find shelter. The night the storm hit, the city of Omaha and the Red Cross partnered to provide shelter at a recreation center in Elkhorn. They prepared for about 100 people, but nobody came.
"Because nobody needed shelter," Stothert said. "Anybody whose homes were destroyed have found shelter with friends and family, so that doesn't seem to be a big problem now."
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the quick response to Friday's storm offers a playbook for the severe weather meteorologists are predicting for Tuesday.
"Once sirens went off, Omaha residents paid attention. They paid attention to the meteorologist and knew where to shelter," he said. "Omaha Fire and Omaha Police Department were in unison, and we were prepared from the onset. And that saved lives."
Meteorologist Corey Mead told Nebraska Public Media News that survey teams are combing paths of destruction to determine if a single tornado created a damage path or whether a second tornado may have developed after the original one weakened and went back into the clouds.
Mead said tornadoes across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa appear to all be EF-3 strength, which have winds of 135-165 mph. He added the highest number of tornados recorded for Nebraska was 28 on Dec.15, 2021, but none of them were EF-3s. Last year 20 tornadoes were recorded on May 12, 2023, and there were also no EF-3s.
State Farm Insurance issued a statement that during a three-day period, 1,480 home and auto claims related to weekend storms were reported in Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas. Nebraska had more claims than any other state, with approximately 315 home and 380 auto claims.
The City of Omaha on Saturday created a new section on its website to provide information and updates on the tornado response. The page is where all city information will be posted.
The Salvation Army’s drive-thru Disaster Relief Center was at Brite Ideas Decorating at 156th and Blondo streets Monday to distribute free bottled water, non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and personal-care items.
Two Rivers State Recreation Area, located just west of Omaha, announced plans to accept green debris starting Monday morning following last week’s storms.
Those impacted by the recent tornadoes and storms in eastern Nebraska can drop off tree, limb and other green debris from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the park off Highway 92 and South 264th Street.
A press release stated people should enter the park along Two Rivers State Recreation Road. Signs and Nebraska Game and Parks staff will direct people to designated drop-off locations within the park.
Lumber, drywall, insulation, furniture, appliances and other household waste will not be accepted.
City of Omaha Public Works employees will assist residents in the Ramblewood neighborhood in Elkhorn with disposal of construction debris. Ten large orange dump trucks and loaders, marked with the city seal on the doors, are available for disposal of wood, bricks, shingles, broken furniture, drywall and other household debris. The free service provided by the City of Omaha will continue daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice.
In Bennington, the Pheasant Point Landfill has extended its hours until 6 p.m. through May 4. Green debris limbs must be cut into pieces four feet or smaller. The debris can be mixed. Household appliances, waste tires, and hazardous materials, such as waste oil, paint in liquid, lead-acid batteries, and unregulated hazardous waste are not accepted. Dry paint can be accepted.
It was announced following the storms that TRICARE beneficiaries in three Nebraska counties may receive emergency prescription refills now through May 9 due to storm damage. A press release stated the counties impacted are Douglas, Lancaster, and Washington.
To receive an emergency refill of prescription medications, TRICARE beneficiaries should take their prescription bottle to any TRICARE retail network pharmacy. If the bottle is unavailable or the label is damaged or missing, beneficiaries should contact Express Scripts, Inc., or their retail network pharmacy for assistance.
Beginning Tuesday, Douglas County residents impacted by the tornadoes could receive free laundry service in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter at 16960 W. Maple Rd.
Batteries, first-aid kits, and personal care supplies are being distributed throughout impacted neighborhoods as part of a collaborative effort between Matthew 25: Ministries, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit and Walmart.
The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) issued a statement reminding people whose homes are supplied by a well that Friday’s storm may have caused additional issues.
Residents were asked to make sure debris did not damage their wellhead before using the water from that well because a damaged or cracked wellhead can be a point for contamination from rain.
Potentially damaged wells should be inspected and repaired by a qualified well repair service. House supply lines should be checked for damage before restoring power to a home. Well pumps can be turned off at the breaker if the power needs to be used but the well or house supply lines are compromised. If flooding occurred over the wellhead, home water should be tested before it is consumed.
If flooding has occurred around the septic tank system, residents were asked to wait a day or two for the ground to recover before using a lot of water in the home.
DCHD also noted debris can house disease-carrying vermin, and debris should be removed as soon as safely possible without letting it pile up for long periods of time Spring storms can create ponding in debris, which could also bring an abundance of mosquitoes if not controlled.