Over the weekend, a series of violent storms unleashed tornadoes that wreaked havoc across several states, flattening homes and hurling trees and power lines into the air. At least 22 tornado sightings were reported from Kansas to Minnesota.
In Howard County, Nebraska, Christina Parden and her daughter, Graci Boersen, sought refuge in their basement—the only part of their newly constructed house left standing after the storm.
“I glanced out my kitchen window, watching the clouds, and then it just descended,” Parden recounted, describing the terrifying twister.
“It was the most terrifying experience of my life,” Boersen shared.
The family had only settled into their new home two weeks prior, having designed and built it themselves.
In the storm’s wake, volunteers arrived to assist the family in salvaging whatever belongings they could from the ruins.
“I know God is going to send help when we’re in trouble,” Pardon said. “He’s going to send help in one way or another,”
There’s a threat of more severe storms across the nation’s midsection on Monday. The same weather system is also fueling high winds across the Great Plains and causing wildfires to rapidly spread.
The Sharpe Fire in southeastern Colorado has burned more than 16,000 acres and triggered evacuations on Sunday. In northern Minnesota, several wildfires continue to burn, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency.
