Prison roof ripped off in Nebraska storm
Security camera footage showed the building appearing to shake before the roof begins to tear and suddenly comes crashing to the ground in front of the cell windows.
There were no reported injuries at Nebraska State Penitentiary during the incident.
All 387 inmates affected by the damage to two dormitory-style housing units at the prison were safely relocated and accounted for, the authorities said.
'In corrections, we train for the unexpected,' said Rob Jeffreys, the prison director, who praised the actions of staff who 'came together quickly and immediately worked to make sure everyone was safe during and after this natural disaster'.
'While many of our staff were facing damage to their own homes, they still showed up to keep their teammates, the population and Nebraska safe,' he added.
A total of 250 inmates were moved to a gym and the third cell block at the prison after the storm hit early on Saturday. The remaining 137 inmates were relocated to two other nearby prisons.
Repairs are expected to take a month, the prison said.
Strong storms over the weekend whipped up winds of 80mph, causing widespread damage across eastern Nebraska, toppling trees, cutting power lines and damaging roofs.
One person was killed and another seriously injured another after a tree fell on a car which was parked in a state park. Thousands were left without power for hours.
Storms also blew through much of America's midwest from Saturday into Sunday, stretching from western Colorado into Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, northern Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin and causing flash floods in some areas.
Meanwhile, more than 40 million Americans have been put on alert for dangerous heat and fire weather in southern states.
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