An amazing video outside a home in Elkhorn, Nebraska, shows what it's like to be in a residential space during the tornado that ravaged the area over the weekend.
The video shows winds blowing against crops and grass and throwing debris like it was paper. As the wind blows, it crashes and whistles against the microphone. Then, near the end, it shows the low-lying clouds gathering and swirling in mass behind the not-so-distant houses before cutting off.
The video, by Monis Kamil and shared by Live Storm Chasers, was viewed more than 2.5 million times and garnered more than 11,000 likes. In the more than 140 comments, one person suggested that the cameraman squeegee the window, another called it "terrifying," and another called it "intense" and said that "I'm sure the camera doesn't do it justice!" However, not all were so complimentary.
This is a perfect example of what NOT to do during a #tornado. The photographer is lucky to be alive. A viral video is not worth risking your life. https://t.co/uXfiEXY6u8
— Craig Ceecee, Ph.D. (@CC_StormWatch) April 28, 2024
Craig Ceecee, a meteorologist from Mississippi State who specializes in tornado protection, called the video "a perfect example of what NOT to do during a tornado. The photographer is lucky to be alive. A viral video is not worth risking your life."
Ceecee explained that while there are professional storm chasers, they have specialized vehicles and are trained on where to go to view the storm. However, he added: "It's not something I condone."
"Most responsible chasers stay a safe distance away. Some bad ones (amateurs mostly) get too close," Ceecee said.
According to reports, the tornado plowed through suburban Omaha towns like Elkhorn, destroying homes, businesses, and farmland before stopping miles away in Iowa. Although no one has been killed, it destroyed at least 150 homes.
