This story on local damages is still developing as we learn more and expand our coverage. Please email editorial@nonpareilonline.com with tips or information.
Council Bluffs and towns throughout Pottawattamie County were rocked by a string of tornadoes that entered Iowa around 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26.
Tornadoes had destroyed part of Elkhorn shortly before, and had just touched down in Eppley Airfield before moving east of the Missouri River.
Affected areas include western portions of Council Bluffs, northeast of Crescent, east of McClelland, southwest of Treynor, and the city of Minden, according to a news release shared just before 1 a.m. Saturday by Pottawattamie County Emergency Management.
Multiple strings of tornadoes swept southeast, with one tornado starting at Eppley before making its way through Council Bluffs, Crescent and up toward Woodbine. Another tornado started near Mineola before making its way toward Minden and later Harlan, leaving destruction in its wake.
People are also reading…
- Council Bluffs student to travel to Germany after winning Fulbright Award
- Iowa Rampage discontinue operations, effective immediately
- Second David Schultz autopsy to proceed without body, spokesman calls out Facebook group
- Affidavit provides more details about Council Bluffs man charged in murders
- Bellevue, Nebraska, man killed in wrong-way motorcycle crash in Mills County
- Area athletes to watch at Thursday's State Qualifying Meets
- 'A very difficult case:' Council Bluffs man sentenced for fatal shooting at Omaha car show
- Titans seek Hawkeye 10 title before pursuing "long term" goals
- City of Saintes: St. Albert tops Thomas Jefferson to claim city title
- Council Bluffs police announce arrest earlier this week of suspect in 2 murders
- New tornado touches down near Minden overnight
- Iowa woman boarded freight train rather than drive home drunk
- McCumber's winner leads Lady Lynx to upset of Titans
- Minden residents recovering with assistance from weekend resource center
- Neola woman's fight against Alzheimer's earns statewide recognition
The City of Minden has declared a state of emergency. Pottawattamie County has declared a state of emergency, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Pottawattamie County.
Matt Holiner, Omaha World-Herald meteorologist, said at least seven tornadoes hit near Omaha, Lincoln and western Iowa.
Pottawattamie County Emergency Management reported only four storm-related injuries early Saturday. “Three individuals were treated and released, while one remains hospitalized in stable condition,” PCEMA said in the release.
Preliminary reports indicated varying degrees of damage to approximately 120 homes and businesses in Pottawattamie County.
American Red Cross established two shelters in the county that were not needed as displaced residents were able to arrange overnight accommodations, PCEMA said.
Minden
Roads into to Minden were blocked by Pottawattamie County sheriffs on Friday night, limiting entrance to first responders, residents and cleanup crews by the time the Nonpareil arrived on scene.
In an interview with WOWT 6 News, Jeff Theulen, chief deputy of the Pottawattamie County Sherriff’s Office, said that around 50% of the town is damaged badly and that the rest of the town suffered light damage.
Residents were asked to evacuate after the disaster due to safety concerns, and a yellow school bus was seen entering the town to shuttle citizens out.
A sheriff posted at one of the entrances to Minden said that the entire town was without power, water or gas.
A curfew has been issued for the city of Minden between 10:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. and will remain in effect until further notice.
Outside the town, friends and family parked their cars and called their loved ones.
After waiting for over an hour and a half outside the town’s barriers, Council Bluffs residents Tina and Victor Dominguez gave up trying to pick up Tina’s sister, who lives in Minden.
“They had a tree through their roof and windows shattered,” Tina said. “They did go to the basement though. She said, ‘I’m good, I got my wine, I’m good!’”
After a phone call, the Dominguez’s told the Nonpareil that their relative wasn’t evacuating her home despite pleas from a sheriff. She also believed her car to be totaled.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, impacted residents seeking a return to Minden will be allowed admission. The check-in location for admission will be at the Minden United Church of Christ at 106 Lincoln St.
"Due to the hazardous conditions, only residents of Minden will be granted access at this time," PCEMA said in the release. "Officials are not currently seeking outside volunteer assistance but will announce those opportunities in the coming days."
Council Bluffs
While largely unscathed on its eastern end, northwestern Council Bluffs saw the funnel from Eppley Airfield jump through its neighborhoods.
Seemingly traveling down 35th Street, a path can be traced from the My Car Wash off 35th and West Broadway streets down to apartment complexes on the end of 35th Street before hitting I-29.
Many homes in-between those blocks were unscathed, hinting toward the jumps that residents suspected.
The roof of the My Car Wash flew over several houses before landing on top of a car outside in the middle of the road in front of 3521 Avenue A.
"My son went out back where I was just kind of hanging out, and the next thing I know I heard him say was, 'mom get to the effing basement,'" said Denise Sprinkel, a resident along Avenue A.
Sprinkel's home sustained damage to its roof, yet she's already found support in the community.
"My husband happens to know a roofer and he's already coming out," Sprinkel said.
"The community and everybody has just been great," said Amy Falconer, who had joined in company with Sprinkel.
Power lines adjacent to the the homes would be knocked out where the tornado touched down, cutting power to homes on the block, a Mega Saver gas station and Wendy's restaurant.
"I was supposed to get off work at 4:30 (p.m.), but I couldn't get off until 5 (p.m.) That's probably would have been going right underneath this thing," said neighbor Matt Cross in reference to the roof in the middle of the road. "A lot of people got lucky. This could have been worse. A lot worse."
As of 11:50 p.m. on Friday, MidAmerican Energy reports that most customers in the Council Bluffs area should have power restored by 4 p.m. on Saturday. Over 20 crews are working to restore power to what were roughly 2,300 customers without electricity, a number already much lower than earlier Friday evening.
Firefly, formerly Family Inc., will deploy its Mobile Wellness Unit to Minden on Saturday morning to provide support. They'll be providing minor medical care, electricity for charging phones/WiFi, snacks and water. Team members will be at Iowa School for the Deaf near the track at 8:15 a.m. Saturday. Donations of ice, granola bars/cereal bars, water bottles, charging cables, gauze, hand sanitizer, Uncrustables, Clementines and other easy bulk fruit, jugs of water, non-typical bandage sizes and chips can be dropped off by 9 a.m. Saturday.
Individuals with storm damage should report it at pcema-ia.org.
Tags
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.
Andrew Smith
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.