Storm knocks out power to thousands in Omaha
Posted: Saturday, June 28, 2008
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- A severe storm with strong winds swept through Omaha on Friday afternoon, forcing swimmers practicing for U.S. Olympic trials to evacuate pools, canceling an outdoor concert and knocking out power to large parts of the city.
Officials at the Qwest Center near downtown closed the building to check for damage after superstar swimmer Michael Phelps and hundreds of other athletes were herded into hallways because of a tornado warning.
Water poured into the building, down arena steps and onto the deck of the competition pool. The eight-day meet to decide the U.S. Olympic swimming team opens Sunday.
A spokesman for the Omaha Public Power District said more than one-third of customers were without power. The district serves 330,000 customers. The storm hit Omaha just before 5 p.m. Friday. No major injuries or deaths were immediately reported, according to Al Berndt, assistant director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.
He said the damages to the Qwest Center appeared to be repairable and likely wouldn't halt the swim trials.
Brian Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said winds started picking up west of Fremont.
Damage reports included downed trees and power lines, uprooted trees and windows broken by golfball-sized hail. Berndt said there were reports of a few house fires caused by lightning.
Omaha police said streets were becoming clogged with traffic Friday evening because lanes were blocked by debris. Traffic lights were out throughout the city.
Hundreds of people had gathered for a 6 p.m. outdoor concert in mid-Omaha and for an arts festival in downtown Omaha.
At the arts festival, booths were dumped over and awnings and other covers were whipped away by strong winds.
One minor injury was reported at the outdoor concert at Memorial Park, when someone tripped and fell. The concert and fireworks were canceled.
Douglas County apparently got the worst of the storm, which also hit Washington and Sarpy counties.
The storm tore through the area in about 40 minutes, moving east-southeast at an estimated 50-55 mph.
A tornado warning was issued for Pottawattamie County, Iowa, soon after the storm's main structure left Omaha and crossed the river.
A jackknifed semi truck was blocking one northbound lane of Interstate 29 just north of the I-80 interchange.
Melanie Walters, who works at the Omaha Community Playhouse in central Omaha, said rain was pounding against the stage door entrance windows and leaked through into the basement.
She also said it had taken her 45 minutes to get home about 2 1/2 miles to the east because of branches on the roadway and the lack of signal lights because of the power outages.
"People are idiots at four-way stops," Walters said.
Outside the Qwest Center, there was no visible damage to the arena itself, but what appeared to be chunks of material from the building were scattered about.
Phelps and his Club Wolverine teammates were walking from their hotel to the arena for afternoon practice when tornado sirens sounded.
"Really ominous, that's for sure," said Vendt, Phelps' roommate during the meet.
Phelps' mother, Debbie, was evacuated to the bottom floor of a nearby hotel where many of the swimmers are staying.
After the storm passed, the building was cleared and swimmers headed outside to snap pictures of sheet metal and other material that had been blown around.
The arena's closure had Jack Bauerle, coach of the U.S. women's Olympic team, trying to arrange for another pool to practice in.
"It's an auspicious start, but everyone can adjust," he said. "It's no big deal, but at least it's our job to tell them it's no big deal. It's just a change in plans."
An elephant display for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on the arena's lobby level was flooded.
Officials at the Qwest Center near downtown closed the building to check for damage after superstar swimmer Michael Phelps and hundreds of other athletes were herded into hallways because of a tornado warning.
Water poured into the building, down arena steps and onto the deck of the competition pool. The eight-day meet to decide the U.S. Olympic swimming team opens Sunday.
A spokesman for the Omaha Public Power District said more than one-third of customers were without power. The district serves 330,000 customers. The storm hit Omaha just before 5 p.m. Friday. No major injuries or deaths were immediately reported, according to Al Berndt, assistant director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.
He said the damages to the Qwest Center appeared to be repairable and likely wouldn't halt the swim trials.
Brian Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said winds started picking up west of Fremont.
Damage reports included downed trees and power lines, uprooted trees and windows broken by golfball-sized hail. Berndt said there were reports of a few house fires caused by lightning.
Omaha police said streets were becoming clogged with traffic Friday evening because lanes were blocked by debris. Traffic lights were out throughout the city.
Hundreds of people had gathered for a 6 p.m. outdoor concert in mid-Omaha and for an arts festival in downtown Omaha.
At the arts festival, booths were dumped over and awnings and other covers were whipped away by strong winds.
One minor injury was reported at the outdoor concert at Memorial Park, when someone tripped and fell. The concert and fireworks were canceled.
Douglas County apparently got the worst of the storm, which also hit Washington and Sarpy counties.
The storm tore through the area in about 40 minutes, moving east-southeast at an estimated 50-55 mph.
A tornado warning was issued for Pottawattamie County, Iowa, soon after the storm's main structure left Omaha and crossed the river.
A jackknifed semi truck was blocking one northbound lane of Interstate 29 just north of the I-80 interchange.
Melanie Walters, who works at the Omaha Community Playhouse in central Omaha, said rain was pounding against the stage door entrance windows and leaked through into the basement.
She also said it had taken her 45 minutes to get home about 2 1/2 miles to the east because of branches on the roadway and the lack of signal lights because of the power outages.
"People are idiots at four-way stops," Walters said.
Outside the Qwest Center, there was no visible damage to the arena itself, but what appeared to be chunks of material from the building were scattered about.
Phelps and his Club Wolverine teammates were walking from their hotel to the arena for afternoon practice when tornado sirens sounded.
"Really ominous, that's for sure," said Vendt, Phelps' roommate during the meet.
Phelps' mother, Debbie, was evacuated to the bottom floor of a nearby hotel where many of the swimmers are staying.
After the storm passed, the building was cleared and swimmers headed outside to snap pictures of sheet metal and other material that had been blown around.
The arena's closure had Jack Bauerle, coach of the U.S. women's Olympic team, trying to arrange for another pool to practice in.
"It's an auspicious start, but everyone can adjust," he said. "It's no big deal, but at least it's our job to tell them it's no big deal. It's just a change in plans."
An elephant display for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on the arena's lobby level was flooded.
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