County
hit with storm damage
Severe storms and tornadic-like activity ravaged parts
of Platte County last Wednesday night, as a tornado touched
down in Lansing, Ks., and headed east toward Platte City
and KCI (Kansas City International) Airport.
Platte County, which came under a tornado warning around
7 p.m. Wednesday evening, was one of several counties
affected by the damaging storms that traveled through
the metro area.
According to Platte City City Administrator Keith Moody,
at around 7 p.m., 65 mile per hour straight line winds
combined with heavy straight line rain and pea size hail
hit the city, causing loss of power for about an hour.
The strong wind and rains downed a main Missouri Public
Service feeder located on Bethel Road, causing the loss
of power to the whole city. Moody stated beyond the loss
of power, the city was fortunate to have only lost a few
limbs and trees throughout the community.
According to George Minter, spokesman for Aquila, formerly
Missouri Public Service, stated power outages were also
seen in Smithville, Tracy and Weston.
Citizens in the area reported having received between
1-11/2 inches of rainfall over Wednesday evening, most
of which was believed to have came during the storm.
Moody stated that according to police department reports,
both sirens located in city limits, (one at city hall
and the second located at the southwest corner of the
school) were sounded around 7 p.m.
In other communities across Platte County, the heavy
wind and rain caused severe damage to four trailer homes
in Weston, displacing families from their homes, as well
as destroying a storage shed at American Bowman Restaurant
in Weston.
In Farley, the winds blew down trees, tore the siding
off a church and blew the shingles off of rooftops.
"While there was damage due to the storm, there
was no disaster declared because it wasn't extensive,"
said Shelle Browning, Platte County sheriff's department
public information officer.
Browning stated that all the sirens controlled by the
communications center were activated. According to Browning,
the communications center received reports from citizens
stating they did not hear the sirens.
"There are a lot of communities in the unincorporated
part of the county that aren't within hearing distance
of the sirens, and that's why we're encouraging Project
Community Alert," said Browning.
Project Community Alert is a cooperative effort by the
Local Emergency Management Directors and metro area Price
Chopper Stores to provide weather radios to citizens at
a reduced price. Weather radios are available at any Price
Chopper store in the eight county metropolitan area at
a reduced price of $39.95. The radios normally retail
for $60.
At Kansas City International Airport, passengers and
employees were taken into underground tunnels. The storm
delayed flights and a few were diverted.
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