A devastating tornado is currently tearing through houses, businesses and power lines in Kansas: 100 buildings, including entire rows of houses, are destroyed in the storm
- A massive tornado crashed into Andover, Kansas on Saturday, sweeping through homes, power lines and community centers while counties across the state issued warnings
- Videos from residents and storm chasers show the tornado’s devastation in the city, with vehicles being slammed into the local YMCA, which lost part of its roof due to the tornado
- Neighboring cities have dispatched rescue workers to support Andover, while police are warning others to stay away
- The tornado came just days after the 31st anniversary of the deadly Andover tornadoes, which killed 21 people
A massive tornado crashed in Andover, Kansas on Saturday, tearing through homes, power lines and community centers while destroying at least 100 buildings.
The storm caused extensive damage to the city of Andover, where it leveled homes on Andover Road and damaged the Capital Federal Amphitheater and the local YMCA, causing part of its roof to collapse, KWCH reported.
So far there have been no reports of injuries.
Residents and storm chasers in the area took pictures and video of the storm and its aftermath, with one man filming the moment the tornado struck power lines and lit the sky with violent flashes of light.
Moments later, the storm chaser arrives at the area the tornado passed through, revealing rows of homes devastated by the tornado.
Brandon Whipple, mayor of neighboring Wichita, which provides assistance to Andover, said about 50-100 buildings in Andover were damaged by the storm.
Scroll down for the video:
A huge tornado snapped menacingly over homes in Andover, Kansas on Friday night. At least 100 buildings were destroyed by the twister, although there have been no reports of casualties
A massive tornado toppled in Andover, Kansas Saturday night as counties across the state issued warnings
Three vehicles were thrown in front of the Andover YMCA building, which was devastated by the tornado
Homes across the city were devastated as the tornado passed. In the picture a cul-de-sac devastated by the storm
Homes in the tornado’s path were severely damaged, while others were completely leveled by the tornado
A man comes out of his house and surveys the damage that has destroyed an entire wall and part of the roof
The Andover YMCA was also badly damaged with part of its ceiling collapsing as the storm passed
The Greater Wichita YMCA said the Andover branch will be closed because of the damage, but that none of the employees were hurt by the storm.
“The Andover YMCA suffered significant damage as a result of the storm that hit the Andover area tonight. We are grateful that all staff and members who were taking refuge in the branch at the time of the storm were not injured.’
A Snapchat user by the name of Aaryn also captured video of the aftermath in his neighborhood as neighbors came out to check on each other.
The video shows the homes on the block badly damaged, some completely razed, as all Aaryn can say is, ‘Oh my God. That whole dead end is gone.”
Counties across the state issued tornado warnings Saturday, with twisters appearing and dissipating across Kansas, including Wichita, Sedgwick and Butler.
Andover, which is in Wichita County, appeared to be the hardest hit area. Neighboring cities have dispatched rescue workers to support Andover.
Many local residents and storm chasers caught the tornado from multiple angles as it plummeted
A Snapchat user who filmed the episode at his neighbor’s home lamented that his impasse had all but disappeared
Tornadoes were spotted across Kansas while the Andover storm passed through Wichita, Sedgwick and Butler
Saturday’s storm comes days after the 31st anniversary of the deadly outbreak of the F5 tornado that struck Oklahoma and Kansas in 1991.
The deadly storms lasted two days and killed a total of 21 people, including 17 in Andover alone.
Interim Wichita Police Chief Lem Moore said authorities were working to assess the damage caused by Saturday’s tornado and urged travelers to stay away from the city.
“Emergency services want to focus on the families in Andover and not the people who want to drive by to see the damage,” Moore said in a statement.