HT5. SAD NEWS: Tragic Storms in Nebraska Claim 1 Life, Leave Hundreds of Inmates Homeless and Another Fighting for Life
The sun had barely risen over eastern Nebraska when the winds began to roar. In the quiet stillness of early morning, campers at Two Rivers State Park were startled awake by the deep, ominous sound of thunder rolling in from the west. The air was heavy, the clouds low and bruised. Within minutes, the storm unleashed its full force — and lives would be changed forever.
By the time the winds died down, one person was dead, another seriously injured, and a state prison had been forced to relocate hundreds of inmates after parts of its housing units were damaged. Thousands of residents across the Midwest braced for more dangerous weather, as forecasters warned that this was only the beginning of a turbulent weekend.
Tragedy in a State Park
At 6:59 a.m., the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department received an urgent call. A massive cottonwood tree had fallen at Two Rivers State Park — a beloved camping and fishing spot just five miles west of Omaha’s border. The tree, its trunk thick with decades of growth, had come crashing down on a parked vehicle.
Inside the car were a woman and a man. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), gusts had reached speeds over 80 mph (129 km/h), strong enough to uproot even the sturdiest trees.
