National Weather Service confirms EF-2 tornado hit Neola on Wednesday

NEOLA, Iowa (WOWT) - The National Weather Service in Omaha said Thursday that it had partially surveyed five confirmed tornadoes, including two in Pottawattamie County.

The one in Neola was rated an EF-2.

Only headlights interrupted the darkness of Neola on Wednesday night after a reported tornado hit the town northeast of Council Bluffs a few hours earlier.

The community of 900 was without power until late in the evening. Long after the storm hit, strong wind gusts continued to interrupt cleanup efforts blowing debris back and forth.

6 News found some people gathering at the one building that had power. The Blue Cow convenience store had a generator to keep things going.

Pictures shared with 6 News before the sunset show several buildings were demolished just a few blocks from the Blue Cow. Another picture showed a 2x4 board piercing a garage door.

The National Weather Service initially said the tornado was detected on radar. Investigators were expected to survey the damage once the sun rose Thursday.

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Digital Director Gina Dvorak contributed to this report.

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