BLOWN AWAY

A storm with winds exceeding 80 miles an hour caused severe damage and left thousands without power in western Mills County Friday night.

Shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service issued a severe weather warning that included the Mills County area. At approximately 8:10 p.m., according to Mills County Emergency Management Director Larry Hurst, a storm cell that brought tornado activity in eastern Nebraska crossed the Missouri River into Iowa, whipping 80 to 90 mile an hour winds across the Interstate 29 and Highway 34 corridor, into Pacific Junction and Glenwood.

Hurst said no tornadoes were reported in Mills County but that damages are as “extensive” as he’s seen from a storm that did not include a tornado touchdown.

No fatalities or serious injuries, except for a few bumps and scrapes, were reported, according to Hurst.

A campground near Highway 34 and east of Interstate 29 was devastated by heavy straight line winds, upturning several mobile homes and leaving debris scattered along the road.

“The campground had about a three minute warning when from the siren went off to the winds hitting,” Hurst said. “It’s a miracle people weren’t hurt.”

A metal building on the west side of the interstate was nearly completely destroyed and one of four large grain bins just to the north was reduced to three after winds carried the upper half of one bin over 1000 feet to the south, crashing down near the northbound Highway 34 on ramp to Interstate 29.

Snapped trees and downed branches caused was major damage in both Pacific Junction and Glenwood. Hurst said Pacific Junction took the worst of the storm in tree damage with most properties reporting having branches down and extensive power outages.

“The fire department gave us a map with blue dots indicating where power was out and lines were down and there was blue all over it,” Hurst said.

In Glenwood, Hurst said, the southwest section of town shows a large number of trees down. The path of damage then continued to the northwest knocking down more trees and blowing debris around.

High winds also took out several power poles and several miles of utility lines across the county, leaving more than 2,000 homes without power.

By 8:30 p.m., Hurst said, the fast moving storm was done.

The high winds and then the rain dissipated leaving a path of damage typically only seen by tornadoes.

“The National Weather Service is classifying it as straight line winds with a downburst event,” Hurst said, explaining the tornados that were reported near Plattsmouth, Neb. and in Bellevue crossed the Missouri River and became strong winds that closely mimic a tornado. “These events can cause damage and pop trees just like a tornado. You get winds at 80 or 90 miles an hour, you’re going to see this kind of damage.”

Hurst was out with his team Saturday morning assessing damage in the county, taking pictures and talking to residents.

Hurst said it’s too early to put a price tag on property damage estimates. It could be several days before the county could formerly report the county a disaster area and apply for state relief.

“We’ll have to get with the assessor to determine the extent of damages before that assessment is made,” Hurst said.

By Saturday evening, Hurst said, power had been restored to most Mid-American Energy customers but a few pockets of downed lines were still being reported through Monday afternoon.

Storm damage and power outages were reported in Pottawattamie, Page, Fremont-Mills and Montgomery counties but Hurst said the eastern half of Mills County was relatively unscathed by the storm.

“It was a sudden storm that got through here fast,” Hurst said. “But we have no reports of major damage in Malvern or Silver City. Nothing to the east of Glenwood really.”

County residents can report damage to Hurst’s office through the county’s website, www.millscoia.us.