Harrison County, Iowa – The Harrison County Emergency Management Agency and National Weather Service has updated information on a tornado that affected the County, this week. On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at approximately 5:21 am, the National Weather Service in Omaha, Nebraska issued a tornado warning for Harrison County residents. The storm system which promoted the warning was located just west of Tekamah, Nebraska. This storm system moved rapidly through Harrison County with winds predicted to be destructive at 80 mph or greater.

City officials and Harrison County Emergency Management began taking several reports of damage throughout Harrison County. Although many residents in Harrison County experienced straight-line winds, preliminary damage assessment teams in Harrison County along with the National Weather service report at least one EF2 tornado that impacted residents in rural areas of Harrison County. The tornado is believed to have started southeast of Logan on Overton Avenue and 286th Street and continued south to southeast for approximately 9.25 miles before lifting in the area of 305th Street and Upton Avenue.

Harrison County Emergency Management Coordinator, Philip Davis, states “Once the winds reached a destructive level, the Harrison County dispatcher activated our outdoor warning system warning residents to take shelter as this storm was moving through the area at speeds of close to 80 mph. At one point all of Harrison County except one small portion in the north east corner of the county was under a severe thunderstorm warning with destructive winds likely to occur.”

Davis reports that where the tornado first developed, one house located at 2768 286th Street took a direct hit from the tornado and the structure sustained heavy damage. According to Coordinator Davis, “There were also several other houses and farm buildings which had significant damage showing just how powerful this system was.” Harrison County EMA reports that there are no reported injuries or fatalities from this storm system and tornado as residents took shelter in their homes.

Coordinator Philip Davis stated, “This is Iowa and we as Iowans come out to help wherever it may be needed. It was amazing to see just how many people have shown up and offered support to our residents so quickly after the storm went through. I had no sooner gotten out of one community from assessing damages, and people were already showing up with chain saws and volunteers to help clean up the damage.”

Harrison County EMA continues to assess the damages reported throughout the county. Information collected from the damage assessments will help officials determine the overall impact to our residents and communities. If residents have not reported their damages or do not believe someone has come out to assess their property damage, please report them to Harrison County EMA Coordinator Philip Davis at 712-644-2353 or by self-reporting them at https://report-ia-harrison.orioncentral.com/.