Gray Sky Event: Tornado Damage in Andover, Kansas

Tornado activity continues to climb as warmer weather clashes with cool springtime air, creating fast moving tunnels across the mid-west. The damage created by the EF-3 tornado that touched down in Kansas across Andover and Butler Counties tore apart entire neighborhoods late Friday, April 29. By early Saturday morning, residents were making their way out of shelters to begin surveying the damage.

With sustained winds of 136 mph, hundreds of homes were damaged with some blown completely off their foundations. Thankfully, most residents were able to shelter in place in their basements and no fatalities have been reported. But the devastation impacted nearly 1,000 homes in a community of 15,000 people, hurling debris and downing power lines. This tornado event came just days after the 30th anniversary of a deadly EF-5 tornado in the same area.

Gallery of imagery

Below is a snapshot of the tornado’s aftermath, including some stunning before and after imagery, highlighting what so many lost in the storm.