2024 tornado outbreak: More rain, storms impact Elkhorn cleanup

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Volunteers left early in Elkhorn on Tuesday with the potential for another round of severe weather. But that didn’t keep them out of the rain in the morning.

Four days into the recovery, those in the damage zone couldn’t catch a break as, again,. heavy rained filled the basements. Collecting the giant piles pushed to the curb became a little more difficult.

Some bright spots emerged, though. An hour after the tornado ravaged the Elkhorn neighborhood of Ramblewood, 6 News met Aubree Schoville who, amid the wreckage and chaos, rescued a small dog.

At the time, she had no idea who the dog belonged to, but 6 News ran into Aubree again on Tuesday, and she said the dog had found his home again.

Mike Engelmeyer rushed to Elkhorn from Arizona to help his son with the recovery. He marvels at the constant flow of strangers doing the heavy lifting.

“Whether it’s labor for packing, moving stuff, bringing food out, [it’s just] super,” Engelmeyer said. “It brings out the best in people.”

As insurance agents methodically examine the damage, there’s a reason experts say the debris field is often just as dangerous to those outside as the tornado itself. One can find shingles jammed into the side of houses.

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For every house destroyed, there seem to be at least two or three times as many vehicles headed for the scrap yard. Some homeowners don’t want to do anything to them until they get the go-ahead form their insurance providers.

Volunteers are careful to set aside any photos, understanding the value is often irreplaceable. 6 News spotted a table on the sidewalk full of what appeared to be personal items — a roller blade, artwork, a 2004 golf trophy — with the idea that someone will eventually claim what they lost.

Some of those personal items are putting on mileage. One of the owners of a home told 6 News that she lost her cell phone, so family members pinged it.

The GPS data revealed her phone to be located near 238th Street. Her house was on 214th Street, meaning the storm had tossed her phone two miles.

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