Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Associated Press, CNN, Accuweather
A tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power, officials said Saturday.
Officials said the twister moved though parts of southeast Wichita and Andover on Friday evening. Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell said during a news conference early Saturday morning that 50 to 100 buildings were damaged in Sedgwick County, though it was not immediately known how many buildings were damaged in Andover.
Russell said in some neighborhoods homes “were completely blown away.”
Officials said only a few injuries had been reported. In Sedgwick County, three people were injured, including one woman who suffered serious injuries.
Crews have already finished a secondary search of homes in Andover. There are homes knocked completely off their foundations and entire neighborhoods wiped out, but no serious injuries, Russell said.
Field crews from the National Weather Service worked Saturday to determine the extent and strength of the twister, said meteorologist Kevin Darmofal at the Wichita office.
Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Travis Heying
Firefighters search a home in Andover, Kan., Friday, April 29, 2022, after a tornado ripped through the area just east of Wichita. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Travis Heying
Firefighters search a home in Andover, Kan., Friday, April 29, 2022, after a tornado ripped through the area just east of Wichita. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Travis Heying
A Wichita, Kan., firefighter searches a home in Andover, Kan., Friday, April 29, 2022, after a tornado ripped through the area just east of Wichita. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Travis Heying
A Wichita, Kan., firefighter searches a home in Andover, Kan., Friday, April 29, 2022, after a tornado ripped through the area just east of Wichita. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters search a neighborhood in Andover, Kansas on Saturday, April 30, 2022. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters search a neighborhood in Andover, Kansas on Saturday, April 30, 2022. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters search what's left of John's Animal World on Saturday, April 30, 2022 in Andover, Kan. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters search what's left of John's Animal World on Saturday, April 30, 2022 in Andover, Kan. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters fist-bump 7-year-old Camden Oyewole while searching an area in Andover, Kan., on Saturday, April 30, 2022. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters fist-bump 7-year-old Camden Oyewole while searching an area in Andover, Kan., on Saturday, April 30, 2022. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Watch Now: Kansas tornado reportedly levels dozens of buildings
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters search what's left of John's Animal World on Saturday, April 30, 2022 in Andover, Kan. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
Jaime Green
Wichita firefighters search what's left of John's Animal World on Saturday, April 30, 2022 in Andover, Kan. A suspected tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas has damaged multiple buildings, injured several people and left more than 6,500 people without power. (Jaime Green /The Wichita Eagle via AP)
