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Deadly US tornadoes strike Nebraska | Deadly US tornadoes strike Nebraska |
(36 minutes later) | |
At least one person is dead and at least 19 are hurt after two massive tornadoes hit the US state of Nebraska. | |
The town of Pilger, about 100 miles (160km) north-west of Omaha, with a population of 350 people, was devastated by the twisters. | |
Jerry Weatherholt, county commissioner, said half the town is damaged. | Jerry Weatherholt, county commissioner, said half the town is damaged. |
The tornadoes were a mile apart, says the National Weather Service, and another massive tornado has been tracked near Burwell, central Nebraska. | The tornadoes were a mile apart, says the National Weather Service, and another massive tornado has been tracked near Burwell, central Nebraska. |
"It was like God dragged two fingernails across the the land," Gregg Moeller told the nearby Norfolk Daily News newspaper. | |
Pilger saw significant damage to a school, a bank and a church in town, and many homes in the southern portion of the town were destroyed or damaged. | |
"More than half of the town is gone - absolutely gone," Mr Weatherholt said. "The co-op is gone, the grains bins are gone, and it looks like almost every house in town has some damage. It's a complete mess." | |
Faith Regional Health Services hospital spokeswoman Jodi Richey told the Associated Press news agency one person had died and 16 were being treated for injuries. | |
Providence Medical Center in nearby Wayne also treated three hurt by the tornado, two who have been already released, hospital spokeswoman Sandy Bartling said. | |
The governor of the state has declared an emergency, which will allow the use of Nebraska's National Guard. | |
Stanton County emergency manager Sanford Goshorn told CNN his agency was still in response mode and said the number of those injured could rise. | |
"We're still digging people out," he said. |
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