OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A severe storm packing strong wind damaged the Qwest Center and forced hundreds of swimmers practicing for the U.S. Olympic trials to evacuate the pools yesterday.

A tornado warning was issued before the storm moved east across the city, but it was not immediately clear if a touchdown occurred.

Officials at the seven-year-old arena near downtown Omaha closed the building for the rest of the night after the afternoon storm blew through to check the extent of the damage. Superstar Michael Phelps and hundreds of other swimmers were herded into the hallways of the arena after a tornado warning was issued.

Arena televisions were tuned into local stations showing a swath of red, orange and yellow on the radar. Swimmers, coaches and meet workers milled about chatting. Some crowded close to an outside door with a narrow window that revealed the chaos outside - furious wind, rain and debris scattering through the parking lot.

"I was going go check it out, but I figured I'd just sit down and rest," two-time Olympian Erik Vendt said.

Hail, heavy rain and wind of at least 50 mph tore through the city during the storm.

Water poured into parts of the Qwest Center, flowed down two sets of arena steps and onto the deck of the competition pool. The eight-day meet to decide the U.S. Olympic swimming team opens tomorrow.

Outside, there was no visible damage to the arena itself, but what appeared to be chunks of material from the building were scattered about. Some swimmers picked up the pieces and posed for pictures.

Phelps and his Club Wolverine teammates were walking from their hotel to the arena for afternoon practice when tornado sirens sounded.

"Really ominous, that's for sure," said Vendt, Phelps' roommate during the meet.

Phelps' mother, Debbie, was evacuated to the bottom floor of a nearby hotel where many of the swimmers are staying.

Vendt joked that the storm might have been a good omen.

"When we came into the 2000 trials in Indianapolis, the same type thing happened," he recalled. "Just a crazy thunderstorm that shook the hotel. Maybe that's a good sign. USA Swimming puts us in tornado alley during tornado season."

After the storm passed in about 40 minutes, the building was cleared and swimmers headed outside to snap pictures of sheet metal and other material that had been blown around.

The arena's closure had Jack Bauerle, coach of the U.S. women's Olympic team, trying to arrange for another pool to practice in.

"It's an (in)auspicious start, but everyone can adjust," he said. "It's no big deal, but at least it's our job to tell them it's no big deal. It's just a change in plans."

Bauerle predicted things would return to normal as long as the 1,250 swimmers set to compete at the trials are able to get back into the practice and warmup pools today. Typically, swimmers practice in the morning and again in the afternoon.

"You don't want to miss two sessions of practice," he said.
