(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman today toured the damage left by severe storms in four central Nebraska communities, declaring a state of emergency in Adams and Hall counties. Other counties affected by Wednesday’s storms will be added as damage is assessed.
The declaration is the first formal step toward fully assessing the storm damage and making decisions on whether state or federal aid can be successfully pursued.
“Right away I was struck by the resilience of residents and the can-do spirit of Nebraskans,” Gov. Heineman said. “Every where I went, I saw examples of neighbors, volunteers from nearby communities and even children pitching in to help clean up the damage.”
The state Emergency Operations Center was fully operational on Wednesday and throughout the day today to gather and analyze damage reports and dispatch state assistance as needed. Officials with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency were in central Nebraska by early morning and will continue to work with local officials in the coming days.
Gov. Heineman was briefed on the extent of damage by local officials during his visits today to Hastings, Kenesaw, Grand Island and Wood River. Reports of extensive flooding, wind and hail damage were still being compiled, as were reports of crop and agricultural property damage. The Governor is working closely with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the State Emergency Board to assess crop damage. The release of a credible statewide damage estimate could take days or even weeks to compile.
Based on preliminary information, homes and businesses in the eastern part of Hastings reported major roof damage and broken windows. Much of the downtown area lost windows due to hail damage, and several schools had significant hail and water damage. Many cars on the Hastings College campus were damaged by large hail. Elementary and middle schools in Hastings were closed today, but were expected to re-open Friday, Mayor Matt Rossen said.
“More than 100 firefighters and police officers, including volunteers from neighboring towns, came to help Hastings residents clean up glass from windows shattered during the storm,” Gov. Heineman said. “I was extremely impressed by their determination to restore order so that downtown Hastings could already be safe and open for business.”
Residents in Kenesaw, located roughly 15 miles west of Hastings, spent much of the morning filling and piling sandbags to protect homes and businesses as flood waters crested, leaving much of the town under two to three feet of water. A response team that included officials from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and the Health and Human Services System was dispatched to help address concerns about the potential for sewage problems.
Several homes in Grand Island were evacuated in the early morning hours, but residents were back in their homes to begin cleaning up by midday today. Several streets remained flooded with water after a record amount of rainfall for a 24-hour period fell, more than seven inches. Mayor Jay Vavricek told the Governor city crews worked through the night to clear debris.
About 16 miles away in Wood River, residents faced severe flooding and wind. They survived a tornado that touched down, damaging a tree that fell on a home. The Governor, along with Mayor John Webster, visited with residents who lost personal possessions to the floodwaters.
The American Red Cross sent trained disaster workers to central Nebraska to provide assistance to local chapters responding to the storm.
Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, who lives in Hastings, will remain in central Nebraska for the next few days at the Governor’s request to act as a liaison between local officials and the Governor.
As of Thursday night, no serious storm-related injuries had been reported, nor any fatalities.
Gov. Heineman said, “As Nebraskans, we would much rather help our neighbors dig out their belongings than cope with the loss of life. We are very lucky to have survived a storm like this without reports of significant injury.”
