NWS preliminary report: EF-4 tornado touched down in NE Kansas

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday issued a statement on the state's response to Tuesday night's destructive tornadoes. Kelly says the state "will be working closely" with local emergency management to get people impacted by the storms the support they need.

Full statement:

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The National Weather Service released its preliminary report regarding a destructive tornado that touched down in northeast Kansas Tuesday evening.

"The tornado developed in southwestern Douglas County Kansas and tracked to the east-northeast while strengthening. EF-3 damage occurred in northeastern Douglas County, then the storm gained strength and produced EF-4 damage in southern Leavenworth County Kansas," says the Kansas City office.

Douglas County reports the tornado resulted in no fatalities, 17 injuries, three of which remain hospitalized.

Around 160 houses, buildings and other structures had been searched by emergency personnel. An estimated 40 of those structures sustained heavy damage and around 25 had sustained moderate damage.

Nearly 3,900 Westar customers are currently without power. There are approximately 300 Westar workers in the area working to restore power.

In Leavenworth County, the town of Linwood sustained major damage. Three people were hurt, 50 structures and one business were damaged. Nineteen of those structures were destroyed.

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We're learning more about a tornado that spun up in Douglas County and moved into Leavenworth County Tuesday evening.

The National Weather Service first reported the tornado on the ground in Douglas County at 6 p.m. At 6:25 p.m., a tornado was reported on the ground in Leavenworth County at Alexander Road and Kansas 32.

Spotters reported that the tornado was about a mile and half wide. The tornado then tornado left Leavenworth County at Kansas 32 between Basehor and Bonner Springs.

The storm left behind a trail of damage south of Lawrence in Douglas County, the town of Linwood in Leavenworth County took a brunt of the impact. The Leavenworth County Emergency Management says 50 structures and one business were damaged. Nineteen of those structures were destroyed.

Westar Energy reports about 3,700 customers are without power in both Douglas and Leavenworth counties. The energy company says the tornado damaged about 200 poles down along the tornado's path.

"We have more than 120 linemen working today to restore power. We estimate afternoon of 5/30 before we can restore power to everyone who can still get it," Westar said on Twitter.

Leavenworth County says three people were hurt in the storm. All of the injuries reported were minor. There were reports of people that were trapped but there were no injuries.