Twin tornadoes ripped through a small Nebraska town, leaving two dead, including a 5-year-old child.
According to CNN, twin tornadoes are rare and the little town of Pilger, Nebraska, with only 350 residents, did not expect a tornado to come through since they were close to a river. However, Monday night, about three-fourths of the town was demolished due to the store, leaving two deaths, with one due a traffic accident.
Other towns damaged by the storm included Wisner, Pender, and Stanton.
USA Today reported dozens were injured from the storm and the residents quickly evacuated to nearby towns. Jerry Weatherhold, the Commissioner for Stanton Counter, said, “More than half the town is gone- absolutely gone.”
It is estimated that about 75% of the town has been damaged, with Sheriff Mike Unger stating their school could be “beyond repair.”
The governor of Nebraska has declared a state of emergency and help is on the way to help clean up the area and do an assessment on how much damage was done. CNN reported Governor Dave Heineman would take a tour to see the damage on Tuesday and the National Guard would be available for any help.
The Storm Prediction Center reportedly said that reports of tornadoes reached to about 30.