Tornado cleanup begins in Douglas, Leavenworth counties

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The process of rebuilding lives began Thursday, one day after an EF-4 tornado carved a mile-wide path of destruction from northeast Douglas County to southern Leavenworth County.

The tornado’s more than 32-mile journey started south of Lawrence, narrowly missed Eudora, leveled Linwood and finally lifted after giving Bonner Springs quite a scare.

LISTEN: Kansas City shows resiliency after devastating tornadoes

Linwood, which is located along the Kansas River off Kansas 32, was among the town’s hardest hit by the storm.

The tornado touched down in northeastern Douglas County as an EF-3 then gained strength through the river bottoms before arriving in Linwood, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornado’s winds peaked at 170 mph, according to a preliminary damage report from the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill.

Fortunately, no one died during the storm — though 18 people were injured, including three seriously.

[GALLERY: Widespread tornado damage in Linwood]

[MORE PHOTOS: Mile-wide tornado cuts path of destruction]

Many residents tried to maintain a sense of humor amongst the carnage, including one girl who joked that her Apple Watch was “tornado-proof” after finding it undamaged among other debris.

Others looked for ways to help the most vulnerable among us — even those that aren't human.

The damage in Lawrence, where the tornado initially touched down, was equally significant. Brick walls at Building Blocks Daycare collapsed into a heap like a pile of Legos.

The daycare’s director and her children along with three employees were inside when the building was struck, while the house next door had its roof ripped off.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t the way Janice Ameson hoped to celebrate her 70th birthday, but she was grateful the situation wasn’t any worse.

At the other end of the tornado’s swath of destruction, several homes in Bonner Springs attest to storm’s immense power.

For Peggy Linnemann and her husband, who live in the Bear Lake Subdivision in Bonner Springs, strong winds ripped off an entire side of their home where they have lived for the last 12 years.

“I came in and there was no eastern wall at all; it was gone,” she said. “It didn't become real for a few hours. You go into a state of shock.”

Friends from church helped Linnemann clear her yard of debris Wednesday and move items from the damaged bedroom.

“Today has been cleanup,” she said. “From the moment my feet hit the floor until now, it’s been cleanup.”

Up and down Linnemann’s street, plenty of other damage could be spotted.

At least two homes were destroyed, with parts of a roof from one thrown hundreds of yards over a nearby lake.

“You want to help and you don’t even know where to start,” Linnemann said.

One mile from the subdivision, members of the Elm Grove Baptist Church handed out food and water to anyone in need after the tornado.

The church suffered damage of its own as a picnic area was destroyed, soccer fields were torn up and parts of the roof were blown off.

Church members said the damage wasn’t enough to stop them from helping neighbors.

“People have really been showing the spirit of Kansas,” Leavenworth County Commissioner Mike Stieben said. “They’re really showing that we’re coming together as a community.”

Stieben said the church planned to continue helping the community by holding a potluck fundraiser Friday with proceeds going to the Red Cross.

Despite the destruction, this flagpole in Linwood served as a symbol for area’s resilience as cleanup efforts get underway.