Storms in Nebraska kill one, injure another and displace hundreds of inmates

Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook

Strong storms swept through eastern Nebraska before dawn on Saturday, killing one person, seriously injuring another, and causing significant damage, officials reported.

A large cottonwood tree toppled onto a vehicle at Two Rivers State Park, about 8 kilometres west of Omaha. A woman inside was pronounced dead at the scene, while a man trapped beneath the tree was freed after a 90-minute rescue operation and taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department.

Winds gusted over 80 mph (129 kph), causing widespread damage across the region. Trees were uprooted, roofs damaged, and power lines downed. In Blair, approximately 32 kilometres north of Omaha, the roof of a warehouse was severely damaged.

The storms also impacted the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln, damaging two housing units and displacing 387 inmates. The Department of Correctional Services confirmed all staff and prisoners are safe and accounted for.

Similar severe weather affected parts of eastern Wisconsin, with gusts reaching 60 mph (97 kph) on the Door Peninsula.

The National Weather Service warned of more strong storms across the central United States from western Colorado to Illinois and Wisconsin through Saturday night into Sunday.

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