Latest news with #RenoCountyEmergencyManagement
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reno County Commission approves local disaster declaration after Plevna tornado
PLEVNA, Kan. (KSNW) – It's been ten days since a tornado tore through the town of Plevna in Reno County. The EF-3 storm left a path of destruction, but the damage does not meet the threshold required for state or federal disaster aid. According to Adam Weishaar, director of Reno County Emergency Management, nine homes were destroyed and about 20 others sustained damage on May 18. Roughly half of the affected homes were uninsured. Despite the devastation, the extent of the damage still falls short of qualifying for assistance. 'So all we're counting is houses and buildings or if it's business related we can count towards uninsured loss for SBA but we have to prove that it's uninsured loss and that's where it gets extra challenging for us because a lot of people don't want to tell us if they're insured, if they're not insured, what they're insured for. They don't want to tell us, and that's their right as well,' Weisharr said. On Wednesday, the Reno County Commission unanimously approved a State of Local Disaster Emergency. The commission chair had verbally approved the measure the day after the tornado, but this vote formalizes it with full board support. To support recovery efforts, a benefit concert will be held Friday night at Sandhills Brewing in Hutchinson from 5 to 9 p.m. Proceeds and donations will go to the United Way of Reno County's disaster fund. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Climate
- New York Post
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.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sheds, trees, and brush piles burn in fire near Hutchinson
The video above is from a related story: The vital role of mutual aid for Kansas fire departments WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Two sheds, a tree row and several brush piles burned in a fire that lasted into the early morning southwest of Hutchinson. Reno County Emergency Management said Reno County Fire Districts 3,4, and 8 responded to the 7000 block of W. Illinois to battle the blaze around 11 p.m. Crews advised that two sheds were fully involved, and other buildings were threatened. A mutual aid request was made for additional trucks to haul water from Reno County Fire District 9, Hutchinson Fire, and Buhler Fire. Brush trucks were also requested from Hutchinson Fire and South Hutchinson Fire. Shooting in northeast Wichita seriously injures man Crews were on the scene for about four hours putting out the flames, and no firefighters were injured. The cause of the fire is believed to have started from a previous fire in a burn barrel. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
