Friday, a tornado thrashed through areas of Omaha including the airport as locals and visitors documented the storm.
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Outbreak of Tornados
Multiple tornados rolled through the Nebraskan plains on Friday afternoon April 26, 2024, leaving significant damage from Lancaster County through the northwest Omaha suburbs to the airport and onto the small town of Minden, Iowa. Tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service had most of Eastern Nebraska seeking refuge in storm shelters which most certainly saved lives.
A few minor injuries were reported when a roof caved in outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. Large hail and rain accompanied the afternoon storm that occurred just as school was letting out for the day.
Damage To Omaha Eppley Airfield
Before being ordered to safety, some onlookers captured the Omaha tornado as it struck the far side of the airport where FBO operations and private hangars are located. The devastation on the far side of the airfield was substantial.
“Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.
The passenger terminal wasn’t hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.” – CBS News
Video showed a much smaller and at least a second twister (Douglas County Emergency Management has not yet determined the total number of tornados) destroying buildings and equipment before they ran for cover. Other videos have emerged from terrified travelers inside the terminal.
A friend of a family member (Brandyn Benning) shared the following two clips he shot himself following the wreckage. In the first video a building has been shredded and in the second video aircraft can be seen thrown around like toys. One commenter stated they worked for the Omaha, Neb. airport and that thankfully no one lost their lives at the airport.
Personal Reflection
I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and was there just a few weeks ago. We have friends and family members who were in the area of the largest tornado, estimated at up to a mile wide, that tore through communities. Thankfully, our friends and their property were spared. Many were not so lucky.
Growing up there, tornados were taken seriously and we did drills in school and spent summer nights in a basement closet as warning sirens blared. It was just a part of life. However, seeing communities you know with homes missing a roof, an entire side, or were simply flattened, some with families huddled in the basement while the home above them was ripped upward is a surreal moment.
Passengers in the terminal were lucky to come away with their lives, and while I can’t be certain, aircraft that were seen in the video pushed back from the jet bridge likely had people onboard. Had the tornado turned just a few hundred feet, those aircraft could have been directly hit by the tornado.
It also reminded me of driving through the post-Hurricane Ian wreckage along Florida’s Gulf Coast just days after the storm came through. I have family members that even some 18 months later don’t fully have their property put back in place, and some things were simply lost forever. Seeing that firsthand and knowing affected parties, it’s hard to truly connect with images from a TV screen and social media in the same way as watching their struggles and emotional turmoil in the aftermath of such a natural disaster. The tornado’s proximity to our friends in Omaha was less than a quarter-mile and in the case of one friend, it was in their immediate area. They were simply fortunate this time to have avoided disaster and come out with their lives.
Conclusion
Family members who work for local utilities are working around the clock to restore power and service, and contractor friends are donating their time and equipment to help people start to pick up the pieces. The shock and horror of sitting on a plane as a visible tornado touches down and rips through the other side of the airport is utterly terrifying. A special thanks to Mr. Benning for supplying his video.
What do you think? How would you react to seeing such a scenario outside your aircraft window or even inside the terminal?
This is why I avoid hearing or seeing anything with bad news .
Out of sight … out of hearing … out of mind .
Accidents … wars …, politics … don’t want to hear , see , or think about it .
My uncle’s Piper Cherokee was flipped over by a small tornado ( in our view from the G. A. building ) when I was a child. I feel for those that lost aircraft in Omaha. And for the UA passengers without options to exit just remember the best was done, and yes sometimes prayers do work. Thankfully no life was lost Friday.