Kansas towns suffer extensive damage after ‘direct hit' from powerful overnight tornadoes
Advertisement
PLEVNA, Kan. – Significant damage was reported in western and central Kansas early Monday morning after powerful storms produced tornadoes that damaged numerous homes and brought down trees and power lines amid a rare Tornado Emergency.
According to Reno County Emergency Management, emergency responders, public works and utility crews have been actively assessing the situation after a tornado touched down just before midnight and moved through several rural portions of the county.
Officials said the tornado then moved through the city of Plevna, Kansas, damaging several homes, trees and utility poles.
Residents have been urged to avoid areas impacted by the tornado to allow emergency crews time to conduct damage assessments.
Advertisement
'We are thankful the residents took shelter immediately when the Tornado Warnings were issued,' officials said. 'While the damage is extensive, we are relieved that no injuries or fatalities have been reported.'
The National Weather Service office in Wichita, Kansas, had issued a Tornado Emergency for the city of Plevna, as well as for Sylvia and Abbyville, early Monday morning.
'The Tornado Warning for Reno County has been canceled. However, it sounds like Plevna took a direct hit with the tornado,' police in Hutchinson said. 'First responders are currently in the area looking for injured and assessing damage. Please keep Plevna in your thoughts.'
3 Parts of western and central Kansas were hit by tornadoes early on Monday morning.
Clinton H Hendricks IV via Storyful
Advertisement
In Stafford County, officials said that the storms took 911 lines down, and residents were advised that calls were being routed through Pawnee County.
Officials said they were working to restore 911 service as quickly as possible.
According to Midwest Energy, Inc., a tornado also caused significant damage to both the gas and electric systems in Grinnell, Kansas, knocking out power to hundreds of customers.
Photos shared from Grinnell showed the devastation left behind after Sunday's tornado. Trees were stripped of leaves and bark, while homes had significant damage.
Advertisement
3 A tornado seen near a road in Kansas on May 18, 2025.
Clinton H Hendricks IV via Storyful
A video recorded on Sunday shows the tornado bearing down on the town. The tornado spins across the landscape, lofting clouds of dirt and debris into the air.
In Greensburg, Kansas, photos show train cars that were derailed during a Tornado Emergency that was in effect on Sunday night.
Numerous trees and power lines were also brought down in Kiowa County, and the sheriff's office urged people to stay home and stay safe.
3 Towns in Kansas reported down power lines and damage to homes following the storm.
Clinton H Hendricks IV via Storyful
'It's very dark out,' the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. 'We don't want anyone getting into an accident.'
The Kansas Department of Transportation said that it has reopened Interstate 70 between Colby and Hays after extreme weather moved through on Sunday evening and early Monday morning.
Advertisement
However, eastbound and westbound traffic was reduced to one lane between mile markers 82 and 87 near Grinnell.
Exit 85 is also closed at Grinnell due to tornado damage and downed power lines in town.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
8 hours ago
- Axios
New Orleans hits 110°F heat index and it's just the beginning
This summer has a 50% chance of being hotter than average in New Orleans and most of Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center. Why it matters: Extreme heat is a major public health threat. It also threatens the reliability of the power grid. The big picture: New Orleans over the weekend had its first heat advisory of the season. New Orleans tied the high temp record on Saturday of 95°F. The "feels like" temp was 110°F at the airport and lakefront, according to the National Weather Service in Slidell. Temperatures are expected to be in the high-80s and low-90s all week, with daily thunderstorms possible, NWS says. The cloud cover should keep the "feels like" temp around 108°F. Yes, but: This is just the start. July and August are historically the hottest months of the year in New Orleans. Threat level: The heat has already been deadly this year. A toddler died Sunday in Hammond after being left in a hot car for more than nine hours, authorities say. Last year, 51 people died in Louisiana from heat-related causes, according to the state health department. How to protect yourself: If you are outside in the heat, drink plenty of water, wear lightweight clothes, apply sunscreen and take frequent breaks in the shade or AC, officials say. Summer's getting hotter Zoom out: Like most of the country, summer has been getting hotter in New Orleans over the past 50 years, a recently updated analysis found. The average summer temperature in New Orleans is now 4°F hotter than it was in 1970, according to Climate Central, a nonprofit climate research and communications group, using NOAA data through 2024. Zoom out: On top of rising overall temperatures, New Orleans is the among the worst " heat island" communities among all major U.S. metros, according to Climate Central. 77% of New Orleanians live in urban heat island neighborhoods, the group says. New Orleans can be more than 8°F warmer than surrounding tree-covered communities, mostly due to a lack of permeable surface. Go deeper. How to cool off Go deeper
New York Times
11 hours ago
- New York Times
Storms Are Expected in Washington, D.C., on Saturday
There is a significant chance of rain across the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday, the National Weather Service said, and thunderstorms late in the afternoon or evening could coincide with events near the National Mall to mark the U.S. Army's 250th birthday. Thunderstorms can bring a variety of threats, including hail, lightning and damaging winds. Jeremy Geiger, a meteorologist at the Weather Service office that covers Baltimore and Washington, said the agency predicted up to an 80 percent chance of rain during the afternoon and evening. 'I think it's going to rain based on everything I'm seeing, but there is a small chance that it just misses parts of the District,' Mr. Geiger said on Saturday morning. Conditions are expected to be cloudy and humid for much of the day, with a high temperature of about 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Skies were cloudy on Saturday morning but conditions were dry. Scattered thunderstorms will come from northern Maryland as the day progresses, and it's difficult to predict their exact trajectory and where the heaviest impact will be, Mr. Geiger said. 'It could be anywhere within a 50-mile area from just south of D.C. up to Baltimore,' he said. Rainfall amounts are mostly likely to range from a half inch to 1.5 inches, but Mr. Geiger said there's a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' of 2 to 4 inches, possibly even up to 6 inches, if the capital falls within the bull's-eye of the heaviest thunderstorms. Forecast risk of severe storms for Saturday Some Moderate High Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
USA Today
11 hours ago
- USA Today
Bonnaroo Music Festival canceled due to severe weather, flooding: Refunds and info
Bonnaroo Music Festival canceled due to severe weather, flooding: Refunds and info Show Caption Hide Caption Coachella campers face festival traffic nightmare Coachella campers arrived ahead of the start of the famed festival only to face massive traffic lines. The 2025 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival was canceled after one day due to severe weather and flooding. Heavy rainfall swamped the main venue, Centeroo, forcing the evacuation of attendees. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2025 organizers have canceled the remaining three days of the buzzy annual event. Severe weather and flooding forced Bonnaroo officials to announce on June 13 that they were canceling the weekend portions of the festival. In a statement released the same day on Bonnaroo's official website and social media pages, organizers said they were "beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo." "We have put our hearts and souls into making this weekend the most special one of the year, and cannot express how crushed we are to have to make this decision," they said in their statement. "Thank you in advance for your patience, your positivity and your unfailing Bonnaroovian spirit." Bonnaroo 2025 canceled: Officials call off shows after severe weather swamps grounds Initially, festival officials suspended shows around 1 p.m. local before evacuating Centeroo — the main performance venue with six stages, soon after. For the next six hours, the inclement weather ranged from gentle showers to torrential thunderstorms. The weather dropped just about an inch of rain on Bonnarroo's hometown of Manchester, Tennessee — around an hour outside Nashville — according to the National Weather Service. The rainfall swamped Centeroo and the areas around the main stages. Attendees mud wrestled even during rain delays in mucky conditions. The only headliner to perform was country hitmaker Luke Combs on Thursday, who made history as the festival's first-ever country headliner. During his rousing set, he brought out three-time Grammy winner Miranda Lambert for support and performed a slew of hits. Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo and Hozier were set to helm the remaining days. Bonnaroo refunds: What ticket holders can expect In their statement, Bonnaroo officials vowed to "make things right" with festivalgoers and said all one-day Friday, Saturday and Sunday admission tickets and parking purchased via Front Gate Tickets will be refunded. All four-day admission tickets and camping accommodations will receive a 75% refund. "All refunds will be processed in as little as 30 days" to the customer's original payment method, according to a refund fact sheet. Contributing: Melonee Hunt
