Photos: Tornadoes rip through Nebraska and Iowa, destroying homes and causing severe damage

A series of tornadoes hit Nebraska and Iowa on Friday, leveling homes and wreaking havoc in the Midwest.

Elkhorn, a neighborhood of Omaha, was most severely impacted, with hundreds of homes damaged by the powerful storms. In Iowa, the small city of Minden faced a similar fate, with a large tornado causing heavy damage. Though injuries were reported, so far there have been no reported fatalities.

Snapshots from the weather event, per the Associated Press, include a collapsed industrial building in Nebraska’s Lancaster County, which trapped 70 people inside. Ultimately, everyone was evacuated and no one had life-threatening injuries. In Elkhorn, three people also found safety in the basement of a home that was leveled above them by the tornado.

Videos of the twisters have gone viral on social media, including one circulating on X that features a large tornado moving across a road in front of cars.

Forecasts predict continued storms through Sunday, with the highest risk on Saturday. Areas from Nebraska to Texas, including major cities like Dallas, Austin and Oklahoma City, are at risk of experiencing strong tornadoes. A tornado watch has been issued for parts of western Oklahoma and northwest Texas until 1 p.m. Saturday, with the potential for tennis ball-sized hail and winds reaching up to 70 mph, per CNN.

A Saturday morning X post from the National Weather Service stated that “severe storms are most likely after 11 am. Tornadoes and strong thunderstorms will remain possible through the overnight.”

Scroll down to see photos of the tornado devastation in America's heartland.

Two women help carry a friend's belongings out of their damaged home
Two women help carry a friend's belongings out of their damaged home after a tornado passed through the area in Bennington, Neb., on Friday. (Josh Funk/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A damaged home is seen after a tornado passed through Nebraska
A damaged home is seen after a tornado passed through Nebraska. (Josh Funk/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A destroyed home is seen northwest of Omaha
A destroyed home is seen northwest of Omaha on Friday (Margery A. Beck/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Homeowners assess damage after a tornado caused extensive damage
Homeowners assess damage after a tornado caused extensive damage in Nebraska. (Josh Funk/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A drone view shows people inspecting the site of damaged buildings in the aftermath of a tornado in Omaha on Friday.
A drone view shows people inspecting the site of damaged buildings in the aftermath of a tornado in Omaha on Friday. (Alex Freed via Reuters) (Alex freed via REUTERS / Reuters)
Firefighters work to clear a home damaged in Nebraska
Firefighters work to clear a damaged home in Nebraska. (Margery A. Beck/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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