KWCH - Kansas News and Weather - Butler, Harvey Counties Assess Storm Damage

Butler, Harvey Counties Assess Storm Damage

By Eyewitness News (TOWANDA, Kan.)

Hail, downpours and winds gusting upwards of a hundred miles per hour kept people across the region in clean up mode all day.

The people of Towanda say they know the storm could have been much worse.

The sound of chainsaws filled the air up and down the streets of the Butler County town Friday.

A storm moved through in the early morning hours packing strong winds waking many residents.

"We heard tons of wind. We thought it was a tornado," Kyle Loss said.

Loss has only lived in his home a month. "I looked out my window and saw a lot of damage and saw my truck might be damaged," he said.

When Loss stepped outside he found not only his truck, but two of his other cars were taking the shape of an uprooted tree that had crashed down.

In no time neighbors and other locals with equipment came over to help clear that mess and the one that sat in front of his house.

Loss says, "Yeah, there's a lot but the Lord's blessed us and every tree has fallen around our house and not on our house."

A few blocks away you hear a similar take on the storm from Pat and John Bardin.

"I think this side of town got it a lot worse than the north side," Pat said.

The couple's lived in Towanda 30 years and rank Friday's storm as the worst yet. Pat says, "The lightning was terrible, but thank God nobody was hurt."

You didn't hear griping or complaining Friday. People were just grateful they were there, able to clean up the mess.

It will take power crews more than a day to clean up the damage. Power poles and lines are down across town.

No word yet when electricity will be fully restored.

Stay with Eyewitness News on air and online for the latest on the aftermath.