Wyandotte County storms leave thousands in the dark; power restoration could take several days

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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Thousands of Wyandotte County residents lost power overnight after storms swept through the area, and the Board of Public Utilities said restoring electricity will take multiple days as crews battle heavy debris and limited access.

Brandon Williams and Sylvester Washington were among those impacted, seeking relief at an American Red Cross shelter after the storm knocked out their power and damaged their vehicle.

"I didn't know if it was just a storm or a tornado or what," Williams said.

Washington described the toll the storm took on his property.

Jake Weller/KSHB

"You see the vehicle is tore up real bad, the windshield's busted, this is busted, it's just too much," Washington said.

Williams said the outage has disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life.

Jake Weller/KSHB

"You can't do the things you usually do — can't get to your clothes, wash your clothes, food go bad, loss of food, loss of power, can't charge your phone, miss work," Williams said.

The American Red Cross faced its own electricity struggles Wednesday, and the organization was forced to move its shelter to a new location.

It has since opened a shelter at the Earl Watson Community Center, located at 2210 Central Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas. The shelter is offering meals, snacks and places to sleep for displaced residents.

JoAnn Woody, executive director of the American Red Cross of Greater Kansas City, said the organization is adapting to the ongoing challenges.

Jake Weller/KSHB

"Our team is very flexible and very agile, and we are constantly looking for what is that next solution," Woody said.

KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa reached out to BPU multiple times Wednesday night seeking an update.

A BPU spokesperson said restoring power will be a multi-day effort as crews battle heavy debris and limited access. The BPU would not comment on the extent of the damage to its grid.

John Batten/KSHB 41

In a statement, BPU said crews are continuing to work across hard-hit areas of Wyandotte County to assess damage and restore power following the severe storms. Multiple public power utilities from across Kansas are also responding alongside BPU crews through mutual-aid assistance.

BPU said damage remains significant. Crews are working with Unified Government partners to clear the way so crews can safely reach damaged infrastructure.

Assessment and restoration are happening simultaneously — while crews repair known damage, they are still working to access and troubleshoot areas to determine what additional repairs are needed.

Restoration efforts will continue around the clock, with crews rotating out for required rest and fresh crews taking their place, per an update from BPU.

Fabian Rosales/KSHB 41

BPU is urging customers without power to plan for an extended outage rather than rely on an individual restoration time, and offered the following guidance.:

• Stay at least 35 feet (about the length of a school bus) away from downed power lines and anything they may be touching. Always assume a downed line is energized.
• Call 911 for an immediate public safety hazard involving a downed power line. Report outages and downed lines to BPU at 913-573-9522.
• If the electrical service line or mast has been pulled away from or damaged at the home, contact a licensed electrician. Customer-owned electrical equipment may need repair before BPU can safely restore service.
• Make plans for medications, medical equipment and other essential needs that require electricity.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to preserve food.
• Conserve phone battery life and identify another location to charge essential devices if needed.
• If remaining without power creates a health or safety concern, make arrangements to stay somewhere safe rather than waiting for power to be restored.
• Check on elderly neighbors, family members and others who may need assistance.
• Avoid damaged areas and streets where emergency responders, tree crews and utility crews are working.

Kansas City, Kansas, neighbors, like Washington, said the community is leaning on one another to get through the outage.

RELATED | Two KCK churches lean on faith after storm devastation

"It caused a lot of damage," Washington said. "Come together, stay strong."

KSHB 41

The Kansas City, Kansas, School District also canceled classes Thursday due to extensive power outages impacting the district.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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