American flag plucked from tornado-destroyed home in sign of strength during Nebraska recovery
Nebraska was hit by nine of these tornadoes, including an EF-3 in Elkhorn. The tornado had wind speeds of 165 mph, was on the ground for over 30 miles and left only a few walls remaining of several homes.
Crews pull US flag from Nebraska home destroyed by tornado
Crews pulled an American flag from the rubble of a destroyed home in Elkhorn, Nebraska, on Saturday, April 27, as clean-up efforts continued in the area following a tornado.
ELKHORN, Neb. – The aftermath of a fierce tornado that ripped through a neighborhood near Omaha left nothing but rubble and devastation in its wake, except for a small sign of hope.
Amidst the destruction, something caught the eye of a cleanup crew – an American flag that had been weathered and tattered by the EF-3 twister on Saturday.
The worst tornado outbreak in nearly 10 years swept through parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa last Friday, with more than 100 reports of tornadoes tallied by the National Weather Service.
Footage captured by Great Plains Tree Care the following morning shows their team members in Elkhorn extracting the tangled flag from debris. Despite the power of the tornado, the flag remained intact – a powerful symbol of the community's strength and unity in the face of such chaos.
RAINBOW PROVIDES BREATHTAKING SIGHT IN ELKHORN AMID NEBRASKA'S TORNADO DESTRUCTION
![Copy TextCrews pulled an American flag from the rubble of a destroyed home in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday, April 27, as clean-up efforts continued in the area following a tornado.](https://images.foxweather.com/static.foxweather.com/www.foxweather.com/content/uploads/2024/05/668/376/Crews-pull-US-flag-from-Omaha-home-destroyed-by-tornado.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Despite the power of the tornado, the flag remained intact.
(Great Plains Tree Care via Storyful)
"Couldn't be more proud to have the men and machines to donate to the tornado clean-up efforts in Elkhorn, NE," the company shared on Facebook along with images and videos of crews tirelessly working to clean up the affected area.
The number of confirmed tornadoes from the historic weekend outbreak has surpassed 110 from Texas to Iowa, the FOX Forecast Center said.
'I HELD ON TO THE DRYER': NEBRASKA TORNADO SURVIVOR SAYS SHE WAS BURIED ALIVE DURING STORM
![Tornado damage in Elkhorn, NE](https://images.foxweather.com/static.foxweather.com/www.foxweather.com/content/uploads/2024/04/668/376/elkhorn_tornado.gif?ve=1&tl=1)
Tornado damage in Elkhorn, Nebraska.
(Nicole Valdes / FOX Weather)
Since the severe weather outbreak began, at least five people have died in Iowa and Oklahoma.