KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Residents in several counties across Kansas and Missouri have started to assess damage and cleanup debris from a line of severe storms and tornadoes that moved through Monday night.
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UPDATE, 10:15 p.m. | The Miami County, Kansas, Sheriff's Office says volunteers are needed for cleanup efforts in Hillsdale, which will begin at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
All volunteers should enter through the parking lot of Hillsdale Presbyterian Church, located at 22875 West 255th Street.
UPDATE, 9:40 p.m. | Evergy reports 462 customers without power as of 9:38 p.m. 262 of those without power are in or near Hillsdale.
UPDATE, 9:35 p.m. | Neighbors are working together as they try to recover from Monday night's tornado that nearly destroyed the small community of Hillsdale in Miami County.
"When I'm picking up the items and putting them in the piles, you're reminiscing about, you know, where was I when I got this and who was with me when I got this and, you know, the memory that it evokes," Terry Scott said. "See them damaged or something like that, it kind of breaks your heart a little bit."
KSHB 41's Fernanda Silva has more in her story here.
UPDATE, 7:50 p.m. | Evergy reports 896 customers without power at 7:44 p.m. Over 600 of those are in Miami and other counties battered by Monday night's storms.
UPDATE, 5:35 p.m. | KSHB 41's Elyse Schoenig shares some of the many storm pictures and videos sent in by viewers.
UPDATE, 5:30 p.m. | The National Weather Service has completed a survey of storm damage in Linn County, Kansas, and Bates County, Missouri.
Crews confirmed an EF1 tornado that traveled nearly 24 miles and was on the ground for 43 minutes between Blue Mound, Kansas, and Worland, Missouri.
The storm packed winds of 105 mph and was 200 yards wide at its maximum point. Two people were injured.
UPDATE, 4:40 p.m. | Miami County officials provided an update Tuesday afternoon on storm damage in Hillsdale.
There are still power lines down, but crews hope to restore all power by the end of the day.
Access to the community is still limited because of safety hazards.
Search and rescue teams completed three rounds of searches in nearly 300 structures.
Officials report 113 structures affected, with 42 structures that sustained significant damage or were destroyed.
Everyone in the small community has been accounted for, and only one minor injury has been reported.
Cleanup efforts are scheduled to begin Wednesday.
More information on how to help the recovery efforts will be released soon, officials said in their update.
UPDATE, 4:20 p.m. | Evergy reported 1,362 customers without power around 4:20 p.m. Tuesday. Most of the outages are south of Spring Hill, including Hillsdale and Ottawa.
An afternoon news release from the city of Ottawa states power restoration efforts are "still a top priority."
While most of the city's streets are back open, officials urge caution in areas damaged by the storms.
According to the news release, no volunteers or donations of physical items are needed.
People wishing to donate can send monetary contributions to the Franklin County United Way
UPDATE, 4 p.m. | The National Weather Service in Kansas City has completed its survey of the storm that struck Hillsdale.
The crew confirmed its initial finding of an EF2 tornado with maximum peak winds of 115 mph.
The storm touched down around 8:18 p.m. just west of Hillsdale and traveled more than three miles before it lifted northeast of Hillsdale.
One person was injured in the storm.
At its peak, the storm was 250 yards wide.
UPDATE, 3 p.m. | KSHB 41 meteorologist Wes Peery made the following graphics showing the two storms Monday night in Franklin County, Kansas.
UPDATE, 2:30 p.m. | The National Weather Service in Topeka has confirmed an EF2 tornado struck Ottawa, Kansas, Monday night.
A survey crew estimates the tornado touched down around 7:23 p.m. Monday and lifted 25 minutes later at 7:48 p.m., packing peak winds of 125 mph. The tornado traveled more than seven miles and was 100 yards wide at its peak.
Three injuries were reported.
UPDATE, 2:25 p.m. | National Weather Service survey crews from Topeka confirmed an EF0 tornado struck the town of Quenemo, Kansas, around 7:02 p.m. Monday night. This first tornado of the night was only on the ground for a minute before it lifted back into the sky. The tornado contained maximum winds of 65 miles per hour.
UPDATE, 2 p.m. | Several KSHB 41 reporters are out surveying damage in Franklin and Miami counties.
Reporter Lauren Schwentker is in Hillsdale, talking to residents as they begin cleaning up.
Many told her they are grateful no one was severely hurt.
Reporter Lily O'Shea Becker has spent the day in Ottawa, sharing several images of downed tree limbs.
UPDATE, 12:15 p.m. | The American Red Cross says it remains on the ground, assisting residents in Hillsdale, Kansas.
With additional severe weather possible Tuesday, the Red Cross says its shelter at the Hillsdale Learning Center, 22795 W. 255th Street in Paola, will remain open for those needing a place to stay.
As the storm struck Hillsdale Monday night, viewer Chris VanHoecke captured this video just a few miles north.
UPDATE, 11:40 a.m. | A National Weather Service field survey crew has found damage associated with an EF2 tornado with wind gusts of 115 mph near Hillsdale, Kansas.
At least two tornadoes have been confirmed so far by crews from the NWS Kansas City Office: one in Hillsdale and a second tornado in Linn County, Kansas, near Blue Mound.
UPDATE, 11:20 a.m. | Thanks to viewer Karissa Perez for sharing this video of a scary scene last night in Ottawa.
UPDATE, 11 a.m. | Evergy crews have continued to work Tuesday morning to restore power to communities south of Kansas City hit by last night's storms. The biggest pocket of customers remaining without power — about 1,366 customers — is in Miami County, where storms struck areas near Hillsdale Lake.
As storms struck areas south of the city, the storms provided a lightning show for those in the city. Thanks to viewer Brad Oxler for sharing this video he took from downtown Kansas City, Missouri:
UPDATE, 10 a.m. | A viewer shared several drone images of destruction in Hillsdale. One RV was even flipped into a small pond.
UPDATE, 9:10 a.m. | KSHB 41's Claire Bradshaw heard from Miami County Undersheriff Matthew Kelly about efforts underway this morning. He says secondary search crews are checking all structures to make sure they haven't missed anybody, and the structures are safe.
Additional crews are making sure residents are safe, beginning cleanup, and volunteers and the American Red Cross at the Hillsdale Learning Center.
UPDATE, 8:45 a.m. | KSHB 41's Olivia Acree is in Ottawa as residents and businesses wake up to overnight storm damage.
KSHB 41 meteorologist Lauren Rainson says storm survey crews from the National Weather Service will be out collecting data from storm damage in Franklin, Miami, Linn and Bates counties.
This morning, the NWS will send out two survey teams to Miami, Linn, and Bates Counties to assess Monday storm damage. @KSHB41 #kswx pic.twitter.com/0js0wsjzMV
— Lauren Rainson (@LaurenRainson) April 14, 2026
One of the hardest hit areas was in Ottawa, Kansas.
On Tuesday morning, the city said emergency crews and first responders worked through the night to restore power. They caution that any homes or businesses remaining without power could be without power for an extended amount of time.
A temporary cooling shelter has been established at the Ottawa Police Department, 715 W. 2nd Street. More information is available on the city’s website.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued a verbal state of disaster emergency late Monday night as initial storm damage reports came in.
“Due to the severe weather that impacted the state overnight, I’ve declared a disaster emergency to ensure state assistance was readily available if needed,” Kelly said Monday night.
Another hard-hit area on the Kansas side was near Hillsdale Lake in Miami County.
The Red Cross established a shelter at the Hillsdale Learning Center, 22795, W. 255th Street, in Paola, for those needing temporary shelter.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
