Raging Storms, high winds batter Kansas, Indiana, Ohio
Pastor Dale Morgan
Raging Storms, high winds batter Kansas, Indiana, Ohio*
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say lightning from a line of strong
thunderstorms crashing through the Midwest ignited a large fire at a
petroleum terminal in downtown Kansas City, Kan.
City fire Capt. Stan Castaneda says lightning struck a large storage
tank at the Magellan Pipeline facility near downtown. The massive fire
has sent flames and dark smoke billowing into the sky.
No injuries have been reported.
Later Tuesday night, storms battered southeastern Kansas and western
Missouri, with winds between 70-90 mph blowing tractor trailers off the
road, downing trees and power lines, and toppling billboards, according
to the National Weather Service.
Up to 3 inches of rain fell in areas of Johnson County and golf-ball
sized hail was reported near Franklin County in eastern Kansas,
according to the weather service. Spotters reported an overturned
semitrailer in Wilson County in southeast Kansas and a wind gust of 112
mph was recorded at an airport in Cowley County.
Thunderstorms also cut through south-central Indiana on Tuesday,
spawning at least three tornadoes and causing widespread damage.
Scattered damage was reported throughout central Indiana, and at one
point more than 4,600 people were without electricity.
A funnel cloud was spotted as part of the storm system heading from
Indiana into Ohio as thunderstorms raged across the central and southern
portions of Ohio on Tuesday night, dropping up to 2 inches of rain per
hour, the National Weather Service reported.
Up to 3 inches of rain had fallen in two to three hours and up to 2 more
inches was expected, the Weather Service reported, and a flash flood
watch was to last through Wednesday afternoon in many areas.