WATCH: Tornadoes flatten homes in Nebraska, leave trail of damage in Iowa

On Friday afternoon (April 26), Omaha, Nebraska, and Iowa were struck by destructive tornadoes, causing significant damage to hundreds of homes and structures in the two states.

Three people were injured as a result of the tornadoes. Reports indicate that multiple tornadoes were seenin at least five US states, with the most destructive storm moving from rural areas into the suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city with a population of 485,000.

Additionally, there were 19 severe squalls and 45 hailstorms reported following a major weather event on Friday.

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Social media posts showed destroyed homes and toppled trees in rural areas near Omaha due to storms. Roads were blocked by law enforcement. Many houses in Omaha, especially in the Elkhorn area, were damaged, according to Omaha police. Police and firefighters searched door-to-door to help those trapped. Omaha Fire Chief stated that teams focused on the worst-hit areaand had a plan to search for anyone trapped.

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“They’re going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with the most damage,” the AP said, quoting Bossman.

Homes in the Elkhorn neighborhood of Omaha experienced significant damage, with even newly constructed houses among those destroyed or flattened.

Emergency vehicles rushed to the affected areas, as residents described the tornado's impact as devastating.

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“We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there, and then we took shelter,” said another eyewitness, Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. “We could hear it coming through. When we came up, our fence was gone, and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighbourhood was gone.”

Three people, including a child, were in the basement when the tornado hit their destroyed house, but they escaped safely. Only two people with minor injuries were taken for treatment, according to Bonacci. A local TV clip showed a woman being carried out on a stretcher from a damaged home in Blair, a city north of Omaha.

After moving through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.

Forecasters issued tornado warnings for parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas for Saturday, also cautioning about the possibility of large hail and strong winds.

(With inputs from agencies)