Storms In South, East Cause Delays; 1 Child Killed

A 5-year-old was killed when strong winds blew over a row of tents at an Alabama air show during storms that stretched across the South on Sunday while severe weather caused airport delays in the East, officials said.

The winds that toppled the tents and canceled the air show in Huntsville came during an isolated strong thunderstorm that developed just west of the airport with gusts of 48 mph, said Tim Troutman of the National Weather Service.

Witnesses told The Huntsville Times that a generator fell on the child Sunday. The death was confirmed by the Madison County coroner's office.

Twelve others were treated for injuries, but only one, a different child, was admitted to the hospital. That child was in serious condition, said Pam Sparks, spokeswoman at Huntsville Hospital.

In New York, severe thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon battered LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports, causing delays of as much as three hours at Kennedy airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Some LaGuardia flights were delayed up to 75 minutes.

Weather also caused delays averaging more than an hour and a half in flights to Boston's Logan International Airport and delays of more than two hours at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, the FAA said.

The National Weather Service in Omaha, Neb. said Sunday it estimated the winds that caused extensive damage in eastern Nebraska Friday reached 115 mph, but the storm did not spawn a tornado.

Residents of Omaha and the surrounding area continued cleaning up debris and fallen tree limbs Sunday as utility crews worked to restore power.

The weather agency said the winds were likely at their strongest when the storm was between Fremont and Omaha, where evidence of winds between 110-115 mph was found. The winds slowed before hitting Omaha but remained between 70-90 mph.

Omaha Public Power District officials estimated that nearly 33,000 customers still lacked power Sunday. And some customers likely will not regain power until next Saturday.