Twister cleanup under way

Cleanup was under way today after several tornadoes struck central Nebraska, damaging a pet food manufacturing plant, destroying at least one home, upending rail cars, center pivots and downing power lines.

One family made it to the basement seconds before the tornado blew through their home Wednesday night, and residents of Aurora, Neb., were counting their blessings after the community was spared a direct hit.

Across central and eastern Nebraska, there were widespread reports of hail, high winds and rain, plus scattered reports of damage. Aurora Mayor Marlin Seeman was clearly grateful today. “We're fortunate that the storm decided to break apart before it got to Aurora,” Seeman said.

The largest and longest-lasting tornado was on the ground for about five miles outside of Aurora. Before it dissipated, it peeled back the roof of an Iams pet food warehouse and damaged the building's siding. It destroyed the Juzyk home and damaged a couple of others.

Seeman said the Juzyks made it to the basement with seconds to spare. “They carried the children to the basement a very few seconds before it hit,” Seeman said. “It removed the roof and two sides of the house -- it's a poignant reminder of just how vicious a tornado can be.”

Seeman said he saw people with Bobcats, pickups and chainsaws headed out as he assessed damage.

Cleanup was well under way by mid-morning, he said. The P&G Pet Care plant, which manufactures pet food for Iams, had its day crew cleaning up and readying the plant for the return of electricity, he said. The main manufacturing building did not sustain the significant damage experienced by the warehouse, he said.

The Aurora-area tornado was reported at 8:59 p.m. and lifted from the ground at 9:17 p.m. the National Weather Service said. Other tornadoes were reported near Gibbon, Grand Island and Odell.

No injuries were reported, and no damage totals were immediately available.

The Juzyk family will stay with relatives and is receiving assistance from the American Red Cross, Aurora's mayor said.

Kirt Smith, director of the Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency, where Aurora is located, said the tornado damaged three or four other homes, the Iams plant, an anhydrous ammonia storage facility, crops, irrigation equipment and power lines. Damage was most severe along Highway 34, he said. “A lot of people are out helping out,” he said.

Bill Gowen, who lives on the western edge of Aurora, spotted the funnel cloud two to three miles west of town before heading to the basement.“Nothing made it to town,” Gowen said. “We did not even get a drop of rain.”

This report includes material from World-Herald staff writers Andrew J. Nelson, Roseann Moring and Robert Nelson, plus the World-Herald News Service.

« Metro/Region

Share