OMAHA, Neb. – Thousands of fans watching a College World Series game evacuated an Omaha stadium when tornado sirens blared and ominous black clouds roiled above, as violent thunderstorms tore across the region.
The National Weather Service did not issue a tornado warning as the storm barreled toward TD Ameritrade Park on Monday night. Nevertheless, officials halted the Florida-Vanderbilt game and ushered fans onto the stadium concourse and to an underground shelter as heavy rain began to pelt the city, lightning lit up the sky and winds of up to 69 miles per hour buffeted the area.
Florida had been leading 3-1 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The NCAA suspended the game until Tuesday morning.
Early Tuesday, the weather service said it had received several reports of tornadoes in Nebraska on Monday afternoon. It is possible that some of the reports were duplicate sightings of the same twisters. None were spotted at TD Ameritrade Park.
Residents reported tornado damage in York County, central Nebraska, where the storm knocked down power line. The York News-Times reported that a freight train was derailed when high winds knocked several cars off the tracks Monday evening on the outskirts of Bradshaw.
The storm also damaged trees and downed power lines near Elm Creek in Buffalo County. Residents reported damage in Stromsburg, Fremont, Columbus and Bennington.
Over the border in Norton County, Kan., a powerful storm destroyed at least three homes on Monday afternoon, Sharon Watson of the Kansas Adjutant General's office said. Four family members escaped their destroyed home with just minor cuts and scrapes, Watson said.
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