Tornadoes roll across state
Published Thursday, June 14, 2001
The Associated Press

The National Weather Service issued numerous tornado warnings as a series of thunderstorms roared across Nebraska, setting off tornadoes and hail storms that pounded crops and property.

 A series of tornado warnings were issued for Seward County beginning at 7:24 p.m. CDT. Damage was reported north, east and south of Seward.

 "The hardest hit area was east of Seward," said Barb Liska, manager of the Seward County communications center.

 Much of the damage centered around U.S. Highway 34 where the road was closed after some propane and anhydrous ammonia tanks were tossed around. Hazmat crews were at the scene and some minor injuries were reported.

 "Several buildings have been damaged or lost completely," Liska said.

 Jeff Collins, a minister in Seward, lives about five miles east of the town and said he watched the storm develop for about 25 minutes and then hit the ground.

 One nearby farmstead was completely destroyed, he said. A woman was reported hospitalized.

 A tornado was confirmed in northwest Lancaster County shortly after a warning was issued at 8:17, about the time law officers reported a very large tornado between Seward and Malcolm.

 "We had one that was reported right by Pawnee Lake and another that was reported north of Malcolm," said Mike Burnett, spokesman for Lancaster County emergency management.

 "That one was watched clear up into Saunders County," Burnett said. "It's a pretty crazy storm."

 No damage reports had been received in Lancaster County, he said.

 At 9:07 trained weather spotters in Thayer County reported a tornado three miles east of Hubbell moving northwest at 20 miles per hour. There were no reports of damage.