Sunday Tornadoes
At about 2:15 a.m. last Sunday morning, two tornadoes cut swaths through portions of Southwest and West Omaha. Just today, the National Weather Service determined that it was indeed two tornadoes- an EF2 with winds up to 135 mph and an EF1, which converged as they weakened toward the end of their rampage.
Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported. Over 500 homes and business sustained property damage, some of which was serious, though a complete estimate of damages has yet to be determined.
NetShops headquarters suffered some damage. Trees in our courtyard were snapped and uprooted. Several windows were blown out. A traffic signal on our access road was loosed from its harness and left dangling from the pole. Perhaps most dramatically, the large NetShops sign that graces the facade of our office was ripped from its mount and hurled into the air before it crashed down on the roof of the building.
Again, with all the damage clearly visible in the area, it's amazing that no one was seriously hurt. Tornado sirens woke tens of thousands, though heavy rain and closed windows made it difficult for some to hear. Early warning is our best defense against such storms, which is why weather stations and weather alert radios have sold out at local stores and WeatherInstruments.com has seen a spike in sales.
I just want to acknowledge the response of the Omaha community to this storm and extend gratitude on behalf of NetShops. Emergency crews were on the scene during the storm and after. The local chapter of the American Red Cross had volunteers working around the clock to provide food, supplies, shelter, and counseling. Scores of NetShoppers have also expressed their desire to help in any way they can, and our HR department has contacted the Red Cross to determine how we might provide support. Last but not least, much credit goes out to all the volunteers, grounds crews, utility workers, and tradesmen who have worked tirelessly to clean up debris, restore services, and make the damaged homes in our community whole again.