Direct hit by ‘swarm’ of tornadoes obliterates small Nebraska town
A swarm of tornadoes, some appearing two at a time, struck several farming communities in northeastern Nebraska on Monday, killing one person and injuring 16 others in one small town.
A swarm of tornadoes, some appearing two at a time, struck several farming communities in northeastern Nebraska on Monday, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others in one tiny town obliterated by a direct hit, officials said.
The tornadoes, part of a super-cell thunderstorm system, appeared to be class EF-2 or EF-3 twisters, meaning they packed cyclonic winds of up to 265km/h, said Rich Thompson, the lead forecaster for the National Storm Prediction Centre in Norman, Oklahoma.
The village of Pilger, a community several blocks wide and home to roughly 350 residents, appeared to bear the brunt of the storms and the heaviest concentration of casualties after one twister struck in late afternoon, local authorities said.
“Pilger is gone,” said Sanford Goshorn, director of emergency management for Stanton County. “The tornado cut right through the centre of town.” Electricity, water and sewage services were completely knocked out, he said.
The Pilger storm killed one person and injured at least 16 who were taken to a hospital in nearby Norfolk, Nebraska, Stanton County Sheriff Michael Unger told Reuters.
