BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 AUGUST 2, 2024) Nebraska is reeling from the impact of severe storms that swept through the state on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, prompting Governor Jim Pillen to declare a state of emergency for six counties: Cass, Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington.
The storms brought wind gusts of up to 100 mph, causing widespread damage across eastern Nebraska. Over 240,000 residents lost power, with the Omaha Public Power District reporting its largest single outage incident in history. The severe weather also knocked out electricity to all 44 of Lincoln’s wells near Ashland, leading to temporary water conservation measures.
Governor Pillen’s emergency declaration allows for the activation of the Nebraska National Guard and use of state emergency funds to assist in recovery efforts. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is currently assessing the full extent of the damage.
While not meeting the technical criteria for a derecho, the storm system produced a damage path extending about 230 miles, falling short of the 400-mile threshold required for that classification. Nevertheless, the impact has been significant, with downed trees, damaged buildings, and disrupted infrastructure across the affected areas.
This recent storm comes on the heels of another severe weather event that struck Nebraska from May 20 to June 3, 2024. For this earlier incident, Governor Pillen has requested a federal disaster declaration. The state’s entire congressional delegation, including Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, along with Representatives Mike Flood, Don Bacon, and Adrian Smith, have written to President Joe Biden supporting this request.
The May-June storms affected 17 counties and caused over $11.5 million in damage to public infrastructure. The affected areas included Burt, Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Fillmore, Hamilton, Hayes, Hitchcock, Howard, Keith, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Saunders, and Washington counties.
As Nebraska faces the challenge of recovering from these successive weather events, state officials are coordinating response efforts. Residents are advised to exercise caution, particularly around downed power lines and damaged structures. Local authorities are working to restore power and essential services, but warn that full recovery may take several days to a week in some areas.
The resilience of Nebraskans is being put to the test once again, as communities come together to support one another in the aftermath of these destructive storms.
