Gateway

Issue date: 7/8/08 Section: Special Section

The June 27 wind storm hit the Qwest Center, taking with it a piece of the building's ceiling, while swimmers practiced for the upcoming Olympic Trials inside. See pg. 8 for photos from the trials held last week. (courtesy: Michelle Bishop) [Click to enlarge]

The sign of Beverly Hills Plaza, near 78th Street and West Dodge Road, was destroyed in the June 27 wind storm. (courtesy: Molly Chestnut) [Click to enlarge]

About 126,000 Omaha Public Power District customers lost power across the metropolitan area on June 27 following a storm with strong winds and hail.

According to a statement, the storm's damage was the worst in OPPD's history.

"Progress is never fast enough when your lights are out, and we understand that," said OPPD President Gar Gates in a statement.

Director of University Affairs Tim Kaldahl said he was distributing centennial celebration materials in Memorial Park that afternoon.

Kaldahl said he took shelter in the parking structure on the Dodge Street Campus.

"I'm glad the buildings were open and available for the people from the park to come over here," Kaldahl said.

The campus sustained minimal damage in the storm, with only tree, water and power issues really impacting operations, Kaldahl said.

Power went out on campus until the next day, however, including for the residents of Scott Village. Residents there were notified of the storm through a public address system installed last summer, said Building I resident Aaron Peterson.

Peterson said SV residents took shelter in the Commons Building, although some students - Peterson included - had to run through hail to take shelter.

A text alert from the e2campus emergency alert system also, errantly, notified subscribers of a tornado warning for the campus at 5 p.m.

While there were no tornadoes associated with the storm, gusts in excess of 110 mph in the country and in excess of 70 mph in the city were the equivalent of an EF-1 or EF-2 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Kaldahl said the only UNO program impacted by the storm was the Child Care Center, which relocated to the Milo Bail Student Center for June 30 and July 1.

The Child Care Center, along with the William H. Thompson Alumni Center, is located on a different circuit from most of the Dodge Street Campus.

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