One dead, one critically injured after large tree falls on vehicle during severe storms in Waterloo, Nebraska
A woman was killed and a man critically injured on August 9, 2025, when a large tree fell on their vehicle at Two Rivers State Park near Waterloo, Nebraska, during severe storms.
Damage from severe storms in Nebraska on August 10, 2025. Credit: OPPDStorm
Severe storms before dawn on August 9 produced wind gusts exceeding 129 km/h (80 mph) across eastern Nebraska, killing one person and critically injuring another at Two Rivers State Park near Waterloo.
The Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department responded shortly before 07:00 local time (LT) to reports of a vehicle crushed by a large cottonwood tree.
A woman inside the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene while a man was trapped in the wreckage for about 90 minutes before being freed and transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha with life-threatening injuries.
The state park, a popular camping destination, is located about 8 km (5 miles) west of Omaha’s western border.
Elsewhere in the region, high winds damaged buildings and downed trees and power lines. In Blair, 32 km (20 miles) north of Omaha, winds tore open the roof of a warehouse.
The storms caused widespread power outages, with nearly 40 000 customers affected in the Omaha metro area.
As of 9 a.m., we are still working to restore power to roughly 9,000 customers. Unfortunately, last night's weather caused a few thousand more outages. However, we aren't letting up until every last customer is restored.
— OPPDStorm (@OPPDStorm) August 10, 2025
For updates, visit https://t.co/JwVlKpEtEF pic.twitter.com/qHZ2OGvBEq
In Lincoln, the Nebraska State Penitentiary sustained damage to two housing units, displacing 387 inmates. The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said there were no reported injuries among staff or incarcerated individuals.
The National Weather Service said the storms were part of a larger severe weather system extending from western Colorado through Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, northern Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin, with additional severe weather possible into August 10.
Powerful storm topples trees and damages homes in Nebraska pic.twitter.com/pIyNDlT4J5
— Breaking Alert (@BreakingAlert_) August 10, 2025
References:
1 Storms kill 1, injure another and displace hundreds of inmates in Nebraska – AP News – August 10, 2025
I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.
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