Power Outages, Four Injuries Reported from Storms in Kansas

July 4, 2005
High winds and thunderstorms across a wide swath of the state downed trees and power lines, flooded roads and injured at least four people Sunday.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) -- High winds and thunderstorms across a wide swath of the state downed trees and power lines, flooded roads and injured at least four people Sunday.

Four people were injured during heavy thunderstorms at Cheney Lake, in south-central Kansas. They were taken to a Wichita hospital, Reno County Director of Emergency Management Bill Guy said.

Their identities and conditions were not immediately available.

Authorities closed the lake and shut down nearby roads, said Joy Moser, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Adjutant General's Office.

''The marina has a lot of damage to boats and campers,'' she said, and power lines and power poles were down.

The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Department of Wildlife and Parks Department were helping county officials there, she said.

In Harper County, wind and flood damage was reported in Attica, Anthony, Harper and Bluff City, Moser said, with some power outages and some county roads flooded.

''They had to rescue a family out of high water at Anthony Lake,'' she said.

In Barton County, Sheriff Buck Causey said heavy wind, rain and hail caused extensive damage in Albert and adjacent rural areas.

''The wheat harvest is over _ thank goodness,'' Causey said. ''But the corn and other crops were stripped in that area.''

There was no indication of tornadoes in the area, Causey said. He said the worst of the storms missed other towns in the county, including Great Bend and Hoisington.

The thunderstorms also caused damage in Barton and Reno counties, damaging structures in Arlington and Partridge and downing power lines.

A Westar spokesman said about 460 customers in and around Hutchinson lost power Sunday evening, but all but about 30 had power restored by 8 p.m.

About 2,500 Topeka customers also lost power, mainly because of lightning strikes, but service was restored to about 800 by late Sunday night.

The Topeka Fire Department reported damage to some homes, mainly to shingles and roofs, in southeast Shawnee County.

In Franklin County, straight-line winds took down trees and power lines in Pomona, Ottawa and Wellsville and blew a pickup truck off Interstate 35 west of Ottawa, Moser said.

Just across the state line, Kansas City's Riverfest fireworks and laser show was canceled because of the storm.

''We could have outlasted the rain, but when we found out that lightning was headed our direction, we decided not to chance it,'' Riverfest Chairman Mike Burke said.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!