Tornadoes in Kansas Last Night: Images Show Destruction in Lawrence and Linwood Near Kansas City, Missouri—Latest Storm Warning Updates
Parts of a city in Kansas was ripped apart by tornadoes overnight on Tuesday, with severe weather continuing to hammer the Midwest. According to the Associated Press, "one or more tornadoes" took down trees and power lines, damaged homes and injured at least 12 people.
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed a tornado was heading towards Leavenworth County and Johnson County, Kansas, with a tornado watch in effect until 6:45 p.m. local time. The storm swept through Kansas into Missouri, destroying houses and buildings and sending debris up to 20 miles away from its location.
NWS Kansas City said on Twitter that the tornado was a "dangerous situation," warning people to take shelter at work, and if they were driving on the highway to find shelter as soon as they could. Winds were up to 70 miles per hour with large pieces of hail, according to NWS.
Pictures shared on social media show homes flattened by the tornado, trucks turned over on the highways, with storm chasers capturing striking videos and pictures of the storms moving over the state line.
Lawrence and Linton were two of the most badly affected areas as was Kansas City. A Twitter user commented: "This Lawrence daycare was destroyed last night. This is going to affect a lot of families. The owners, employees, & families that attend are going to have a hard time from this storm. They'll need help." Many homes in Linton were flattened.
The latest storm update predicts that severe weather will move through Missouri and into Illinois. Flood warnings are also active in Missouri. North River at Palmyra, Mid Fork Salt River and Holliday River are at risk from flooding until Friday, May 31.
As of 2:30 a.m. on May 29, levels had passed the flood stage of 13.0 feet. NWS advises that rainfall could be heavier than forecast which could cause the levels to rise even higher.
NWS also advised that people should never drive cars, trucks, or sport utility vehicles through flooded areas as the water might be too deep to pass through.
According to NWS for Arkansas River Basin, some areas in southeast Kansas have picked up more than 70 percent of their annual precipitation this month alone.
In Illinois, at the time of publishing, there was an immediate warning for flash flooding in eastern Marshall and northeastern Woodford counties. Thunderstorms were producing heavy rain up to two inches across the area.
Locations that will get flash flooding include Minonk, Roanoke, Toluca, Washburn, Wenona, Varna, Benson, La Rose, Panola, Lake Wildwood and Pattonsburg. This includes Interstate 39 between mile markers 18 and 40, according to NWS.
The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the scale of financial damage caused by tornadoes.
NEW VIDEO: Rocket Launch from Dominator 3 into wedge tornado just south of Lawrence, KS earlier tonight capturing incredible data! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED #kswx. @SeanSchofer @ReedTimmerAccu @ChasinSpin @curtisbrooks80 pic.twitter.com/S1KRc2suwd
— Aaron Jayjack (@aaronjayjack) May 29, 2019
Monster wedge tornado west of Kansas City a short while ago #kswx #tornado @breakingweather @ReedTimmerAccu @NWSWichita #severeweather pic.twitter.com/MB68vx6SR9
— Mike Killian (@KillianPhoto) May 29, 2019
Oh my gosh. This is absolutely terrifying.@kmbc showing what looks like a mile wide tornado moving through the Linwood, KS area just to the west-southwest of Kansas City.
— Stephen Nehrenz (@StephenNehrenz) May 28, 2019
Deadly, life-threatening situation. #kswx pic.twitter.com/GJFdGqMjVW
This is one of the craziest lightning strikes you’ll ever see. pic.twitter.com/KPjA0U7auq
— Kansas City Media (@KansasCityMedia) May 27, 2019
Wide angle shot of last Tuesday’s tornado in Dickinson County, Kansas (5/21). Tornadoes will be possible later today in NE Kansas. #kswx pic.twitter.com/KjMMR3uXwz
— Jason Keller (@jasonkellerpt) May 28, 2019
And Kansas is once again amazing. #kswx pic.twitter.com/AFrAeJGZ2S
— Matt Gress (@MattGress) May 29, 2019
Tornado is ongoing best Lucas Kansas #kswx pic.twitter.com/Qem70edkWl
— Devin Pitts (@DevinWxChase) May 28, 2019
Tornado just west of Luray KS 525 pm CDT @NWSDodgeCity @NWSHastings #kswx pic.twitter.com/wBlJil1x17
— Shawn Milrad (@shawnmilrad) May 28, 2019
Two tornadoes on the ground at once and a horizontal tube connecting between the two mesocyclone's near Waldo, Kansas earlier today. All while we were near the notch of tornadic supercell just north of the tornadoes. #kswx #tornado @NWSDodgeCity @NWSWichita @StormHour pic.twitter.com/2dVp25M3Zg
— Benjamin Jurkovich (@BenjaminJurkovi) May 29, 2019
Nothing left of this ranch house. Family made it in time to basement and walked out alive north of Linwood, KS. #kswx @spann @Local4NewsWHBF @breakingweather @WeatherNation pic.twitter.com/vgvmaJH1WP
— Kholby Martin (@StormChaser220) May 29, 2019
MAJOR damage on the north side of Linwood, KS. #kswx @NWSKansasCity #Linwood pic.twitter.com/y7IjhTUtP3
— Kholby Martin (@StormChaser220) May 29, 2019
We were first on scene to a tornado that hit a neighborhood off of Hwy 59 just north of Pleasant Grove, KS. Happy to say all went to their basements and were ok. @weatherchannel #KSwx #tornado pic.twitter.com/pVZjhR6TrF
— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) May 29, 2019
Strong tornado near Luray, KS earlier this evening #KSwx pic.twitter.com/WPkvWndqdE
— Evan Fisher (@EFisher828) May 29, 2019
Tornado damage just west of Bonner Springs, Kansas earlier this evening!! Their is a lot more in the area!! #Kansas #KSwx #Damage @ReedTimmerAccu @spann pic.twitter.com/nELwFOl3nP
— Josh Alecci (@AlecciJosh) May 29, 2019
Another view of the large, damaging tornado that left behind catastrophic damage in parts of Lawrence, KS. Absolutely terrifying... #kswx pic.twitter.com/hUueQtK2mm
— Meredith Garofalo (@GarofaloWX) May 29, 2019
I’ve never seen such vivid blue/turquoise hues associated with a thunderstorm. Taken 5/28/19 near Cassoday, KS. #kswx pic.twitter.com/AEiyHbMdet
— Luke McMichael (@Mcmichael123) May 29, 2019
Tipton, KS tornado from earlier today. Modified boundaries are some of the best tornado producers. #kswx #weather #tornadoes pic.twitter.com/Sal53HriXx
— Brett Wright (@WxMstr) May 29, 2019
I can't imagine how terrifying it would be to stare something like this down and know it could be potentially coming right at you. This is footage from CBS affiliate KCTV's coverage of last night's tornado near Linwood, Kansas. Wow. #kswx #wymtwx pic.twitter.com/6krnCMypON
— Brandon Robinson (@brobwx) May 29, 2019
Decided to avoid the rain-wrapped mess near Lawrence and headed west towards the dryline. Caught a glimpse of a supercell northeast of Wichita right before sunset. #kswx pic.twitter.com/IEO00j6BtD
— Luke McMichael (@Mcmichael123) May 29, 2019
My photo of the tornado as it moved south of Lawrence, Kansas this evening, shot at 6:17 pm while I looking south out of the 6th floor of Fraser Hall on the campus of the University of Kansas. pic.twitter.com/QTPvMXiVXY
— John Hoopes (@KUHoopes) May 29, 2019
Seeing how this storm has torn these homes apart is awful.
— Braxton Jones (@KWCHBraxton) May 29, 2019
This is one of about 4 homes at this intersection that has been destroyed. @KWCH12 #KSWX #KWCH12 pic.twitter.com/deLMToSGsC
Flint Hills scenic byway, Hwy 177, near Cassoday, KS tonight as a severe thunderstorm moves towards the northeast. #kswx pic.twitter.com/LfZN5LHDWh
— Travis Heying (@travisheying) May 29, 2019
More damage from the tornado.
— Braxton Jones (@KWCHBraxton) May 29, 2019
I just spoke with a woman who tells me she was in the basement of her home when the tornado hit and destroyed her garage.
She tells me she was devastated when she saw the damage. @KWCH12 #KSWX pic.twitter.com/B0rqfZe1um
Remember, tornadoes aren't our only threat. Flooding remains rampant in the area (this is supposed to be a field, for example). After week-long rains and a rain-wrapped tornado, Lawrence south of K-10 is even more waterlogged. #KSwx pic.twitter.com/9PaZ6aWJRx
— Sarah (@adrnired) May 29, 2019
Shocking drone photos from Douglas County show the damage a massive wedge tornado carved out Tuesday evening. Areas of Linwood, Kansas, were “completely wiped off the map.” https://t.co/TdmQuI1vAu #kswx #kcwx pic.twitter.com/KYKNOtEszi
— KMBC (@kmbc) May 29, 2019
This article was updated to include an infographic.
