Man dies from injuries received in Minden, Iowa, tornado

A man who was hurt during Friday's tornado in Minden, Iowa, has died of his injuries, according to the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency. 

The man, whose name had not been released Sunday afternoon, is the only known fatality from a severe storm outbreak in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. First responders found him unconscious and transported him to a hospital, where he later died. 

Officials in Nebraska and Iowa have tallied three dozen or fewer injuries, most of them minor. Damage in western Iowa, officials said Saturday, was concentrated in the Minden area.

Doug Reed, director of the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency, estimated that 180 houses in the north-central Pottawattamie County community had been damaged, with about 40% of them destroyed.

As of Saturday morning, four storm-related injuries had been reported from Pottawattamie County, including three individuals who were treated and released. One emergency responder also was treated for injuries at a hospital and released.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Pottawattamie County, and Minden declared its own state of emergency.

Like officials in Nebraska, Reed credited early warnings from the weather service, preparedness on the part of emergency responders and the attentiveness of residents with keeping the human toll low.

Survey teams assess damage from EF3, EF2 tornadoes

Survey crews from the National Weather Service worked over the weekend to identify the number and strengths of the tornadoes that wrecked havoc in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Results of those surveys are expected to be released Monday. 

"We had five survey teams out (Saturday) and four teams (Sunday)," Van DeWald, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said Sunday morning. "Preliminary indications are that there was a solid E-F3 (tornado) in Elkhorn and the tornado at Eppley (Airfield) was likely an E-F2 that increased to an E-F3 in Iowa."

The weather service said preliminary indications are that the same storm cell produced the tornado near Lincoln and Waverly and the one that hit Elkhorn, Bennington and Blair. It lasted for more than an hour and is being measured preliminarily at an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with wind speeds estimated at between 135 and 165 mph.

The second tornado, preliminarily measured as an EF-2, formed over Eppley Airfield. There it destroyed four general aviation hangars and damaged several other buildings, and wrecked 31 privately owned aircrafts before moving northeast across the Missouri River and into western Iowa. The wind speeds were estimated at 110 to 135 mph.

The agency is still working on a total tornado count as it received about 80 reports of tornadoes, with the Valley office issuing a record 42 tornado warnings during the storm. Those numbers, however, includes multiple people reporting the same twister. The final number ultimately will be much lower and is expected to be released Monday. 

230 homes destroyed in Washington County

In Nebraska, the Washington County Emergency Management Agency said Sunday that at least 230 homes were destroyed by Friday's tornado. 

Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said his office has not had any reports of trespassers. He said extra patrols were deployed to prevent people from 

"We are using a lot of overtime (hours)," Robinson said. "But that's what is needed to protect our residents."

American Red Cross shelters opened and closed

In the aftermath of the storm, the Red Cross opened two shelters — one in Elkhorn and one in Blair — for anyone needing a safe place to stay. Both Nebraska shelters closed Sunday, as affected residents identified other lodging options. 

Residents affected by the storms can still receive assistance by calling 800-733-2767. Distribution of emergency relief supplies to help residents with their clean up work will continue in the coming days.

Additionally, Red Cross volunteers are starting to assess the residential damage in affected communities to better understand what help families may need in the days and weeks ahead. The Red Cross remains in contact with local officials across the impacted areas to evaluate the needs of the residents.

Salvation Army serving meals

A Salvation Army-Omaha disaster-relief team brought 100 meals Sunday to recovery workers, volunteers and first responders in Minden.

In Blair, a Salvation Army team from Chicago arrived set up a mobile command unit on Sunday that includes a skid loader and a cargo truck. They will assist with provisioning and logistics in support of the ongoing recovery efforts of the Blair community, which was hit hard by Friday’s storms.

The Salvation Army will continue this multi-community disaster-relief operation for as long as it is needed, officials said. 

Two Rivers SRA accepting storm debris

Those affected by the recent tornadoes and storms in eastern Nebraska can drop off trees, limbs and other green debris at Two Rivers State Recreation Area just west of Omaha starting Monday. 

Drop-off will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the park off Nebraska Highway 92 and South 264th Street. People should enter the park along Two Rivers State Recreation Road; signs and Nebraska Game and Parks staff will direct them to designated drop-off locations within the park.

Lumber, drywall, insulation, furniture, appliances and other household waste will not be accepted.

Soup Supper benefit planned Thursday

American Legion posts and auxiliaries will hold a "Soup Supper Benefit" on Thursday to benefit people in the Bennington area affected by Friday's storms.

The benefit will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in American Legion Post 266 located at 15312 S. 2nd St., in Bennington. Admission is a nonperishable food donation or free will cash donations.

The prepackaged food will go to the households affected in Bennington, Elkhorn and western Douglas County. Cash will be used to purchase gift cards for their needed supplies.