The same storm that caused tornadoes in Pottawattamie County, Douglas County, Neb., and Washington County, Neb., last Friday moved through parts of Harrison County as well. Harrison County Emergency Management received reports of significant damage to five rural properties in the county.
All damage reports so far have been related to buildings on farming property and not to homes.
“We have also had residents report roof damage and storm debris,” said Harrison County EMA Director Bonnie Castillo.
The storm, and the tornadoes that accompanied it, left a path of destruction in the town of Minden, which is located roughly 25 miles east-southeast of Missouri Valley. Eppley Airfield in Omaha and residential areas in Elkhorn, Blair and Lakeland, Neb., also saw serious damage.
Despite the amount of destruction, no fatalities and just two minor injuries have been reported in total in the Omaha metropolitan area. Minden had reported one fatality as of Monday morning.
After one cell of the storm moved through the southeast part of Harrison County and another moved through the northwest part of the county, the county called about a dozen employees with heavy equipment to clear roadways of debris, county engineer Steven Struble said.
Harrison County EMA is currently conducting damage assessments, and residents can report storm damage directly to Castillo or complete a self-report form online. To report damage, call or text (712) 269-2829 or self-report at https://report-ia-harrison.orioncentral.com/.
After-action reviews have also been started by Harrison County EMA, and Castillo said she is hearing from many residents who did not receive the text or call alerts they were expecting ahead of and during the storm.
“They're not aware that the Everbridge system ended and they need to sign up for the new Alert Iowa system,” she said.
To sign up for Alert Iowa emergency messages, go to https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=HarrisonCountyIA or text HarrisonIA to 672-83.
