EUREKA UPDATE: Injury count up to 8; volunteers told to come and help

Volunteers wanting to help the cleanup effort in Eureka following Tuesday night’s significant tornado in the city limits are now being told to come to the town Wednesday afternoon.

Eureka and Greenwood County officials originally planned to have volunteers gather at the Matt Samuels Community Building to help with the clean-up. For a time Wednesday, the guidance was that volunteers would have to wait until Thursday, but Greenwood County Emergency Management is again encouraging volunteers to come and help.

Public Information Officer Robin Wunderlich tells KVOE News the scope of the damage still isn’t entirely clear.

The Greenwood County Courthouse also had part of its roof peeled off, affecting the Emergency Management and Register of Deeds offices.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management says eight people were hurt in the storm, with one person suffering critical injuries. Further updates are pending.

The Red Cross maintains its shelter at the Eureka Methodist Church, 521 North Main, including a cooling shelter as a heat advisory affects Greenwood County on Wednesday and Thursday. Community Linc, meanwhile, is at the Samuels Building — which is where the volunteer sign-up station will be.

Wunderlich says a more complete donation list will be available later, perhaps as soon as Wednesday afternoon. Growing Greenwood, an affiliate of the Emporia Community Foundation, is drawing attention to its Growing Greenwood Disaster Relief Fund. You can go online to www.emporiacf.org/growing-greenwood-fund to donate, or you can mail checks to the Emporia Community Foundation, 527 Commercial Suite B, Emporia ZIP 66801. Make checks payable to Emporia Community Foundation with “Greenwood Disaster Relief” in the memo line.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management says another way to help recovery efforts is monetary donations to established volunteer organizations, like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way or Harvesters.

10 pm Tuesday-8 am Wednesday: Five hurt, one critically, after Eureka twister

Cleanup and search efforts are underway following a tornado Tuesday night in Eureka.

Greenwood County Sheriff Heath Samuels says five people were hurt. One of the five suffered apparently critical injuries. Most of the remaining injuries were described as “walking wounded”-style injuries by Eureka Fire Chief Doug Williams.

Williams also said there were no reports of anybody trapped by tornado debris.

Samuels says over 100 city blocks, or “a majority of Eureka,” suffered either structural or tree damage.

In addition to the homes damaged, there apparently has been some damage to Eureka Junior-Senior High School, the Greenwood County Courthouse, oil field business interests and grain elevators.

Residents who lived through the tornado, like Sonic assistant manager Kelly Drake, described an unnerving scene.

Williams says rescue crews began conducting searches on a street-by-street basis almost immediately.

Residents living in homes affected by the tornado will not be allowed to return until those properties are deemed safe.

Samuels says the parent storm began rotating near Eureka and there was little warning before the tornado developed.

Governor Jeff Colyer has issued a State of Disaster Emergency, while Greenwood County has declared a state of local disaster. As part of these declarations, the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka has been activated and staff from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management are coordinating the disaster response with Greenwood County officials.

While the situation is fluid, several details have firmed up as of midnight:

*The American Red Cross is staffing a shelter at the Methodist Church, 521 N. Main. Separate shelters are also operating at 12th and Main and at River and Jefferson.
*As reported previously, first responders are gathering at the Eureka Fire Department for check-in and assignments, while equipment is going to Eureka Downs for use as needed.
*US Highway 54 has reopened from the Kansas Highway 99 south junction to Flint Hills Road in Butler County. The Kansas Highway Patrol is providing security and staffing roadblocks.
*The Flint Hills Community Health Center’s Eureka office is closed Wednesday. Residents needing care can go to the offices in Madison or Emporia.
*Volunteers are asked to gather at the Matt Samuels Community Building, 100 N. Jefferson, at noon Wednesday.

Now close to 6,000 Westar Energy customers are offline until further notice. Spokesperson Gina Penzig says the company has a general approach when there are so many power outages and so many customers affected.

An unlisted number of Lyon-Coffey customers are also in the same situation.

Lyon County has already reached out to assist with emergency operations. Several state agencies are also helping with the relief effort, including the Kansas National Guard, Kansas Department of Transportation, Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal, Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Department for Children and Families.

Additional details will continue to develop before more information comes to light Wednesday. Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.

9 pm Tuesday

Eureka residents are processing the town’s second tornado in three years.

Shortly after 7 pm, a tornado developed northwest of the Greenwood County seat and moved into town. The full extent of damage is pending, but there is apparently significant damage to certain structures in the city limits.

Shelter for Eureka-area residents is at the Eureka Methodist Church. First responders are told to report to the Eureka Fire Department at 14 S. Main for check-in and assignments. Equipment staging, meanwhile, will be at Eureka Downs, 100 N. Jefferson.

Volunteers, meanwhile, are told to avoid Eureka for the time being because several power lines were downed and the area is not safe.

There is no word of injuries at this time.

Check with KVOE and KVOE.com for further developments.

7:50 pm Tuesday: Tornado touches down in Eureka for second time in three years

Damage assessments are underway after Eureka was hit by an apparent tornado Tuesday evening.

The National Weather Service’s chat feature reported confirmation by the Greenwood County Emergency Management Department shortly before 7:30 pm. The report had structural damage and trees uprooted in the city limits. A debris signature was also reported on NWS radar shortly afterward.

The Eureka Herald has reported damage in downtown. Further clarifications are being gathered, although early indications are the county’s radio system may be offline.

Numerous power outages have been reported as a result of severe storms. Over 4,000 Westar Energy customers are offline in Greenwood and Lyon counties. There is currently no word on the number of Lyon-Coffey customers affected.

The path appears to be eerily similar yet a bit south of an EF-2 tornado that hit the town July 7, 2016. That storm entered the city limits near the Eureka Golf Course and narrowly missed Greenwood County Hospital and the Eureka school campus.

No injuries have been reported.

This is a developing situation. Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates.

6 pm Tuesday

Storm chances are still possible for our area into the early evening.

The National Weather Service has cancelled the Severe Thunderstorm Watch for the listening area.

The Storm Prediction Center has downgraded most of the KVOE listening area to a marginal risk for the development of storms this evening. Greenwood and Coffey County remain on the edge for a slight risk of storms to develop.

11 a.m. Tuesday

Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across the KVOE listening area the next few hours.

In a rare move, the Storm Prediction Center issued a severe thunderstorm watch before 9 am Tuesday for Lyon and most surrounding counties. The watch lasts until 4 pm.

Before sunrise, the going thought was storms could affect our area from mid-afternoon to mid-evening. National Weather Service meteorologist Audra Hennecke says storms could be possible all afternoon.

Hail and high winds are the main concerns, although all severe weather hazards are possible.

Meanwhile, separate heat advisories are up for the KVOE listening area this week. Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties are involved from 1 pm Wednesday through 10 pm Friday. Chase and Greenwood counties are now in a separate advisory for 1-8 pm Wednesday.

The projected heat comes after a heat advisory affected the entire KVOE listening area in mid-June. Once again, meteorologists like TV-13’s Doug Meyers and health officials are urging you to be prepared for the incoming heat by properly hydrating with water or sports drinks — instead of alcohol or caffeine — and by drinking more than you normally would, especially as the heat builds in Tuesday and Wednesday. You’re also encouraged to wear light, loose-fitting clothes and take as many breaks as needed, either in air conditioning or shade, if you spend any extended time outdoors.

In addition, make sure children and pets are not left unattended in hot vehicles. You’re also advised to check on elderly neighbors to make sure they aren’t overheating.

Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.

6 am Tuesday: Severe thunderstorm watch Tuesday, heat advisories begin Wednesday

Strong storms are possible across the KVOE listening area by Tuesday evening. Oppressive heat is virtually guaranteed later this week.

A severe thunderstorm watch was issued shortly before 9 am Tuesday for Lyon, Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Morris and Osage counties, lasting until 4 pm. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers says storms could be hit-and-miss through much of the day.

All severe weather hazards are possible, although hail and high winds are the main concerns. The Storm Prediction Center’s 8 am update Tuesday puts an enhanced severe weather risk along and south of the Kansas Turnpike and Interstate 35, with a slight risk now north of those highways.

Meanwhile, temperatures above 90 degrees are expected from Tuesday to Friday, and a heat advisory has been issued for Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties from 1 pm Wednesday through 10 pm Friday. Chase and Greenwood counties are now in a separate advisory for 1-8 pm Wednesday.

The hottest day for air temperatures may well be Thursday, where the current forecast calls for a 100-degree day. However, heat index readings could range from 100 to 108 degrees during the three-day heat advisory. Air temperatures will be 91 Tuesday, but humidity levels will be slightly lower than they will be for the rest of the week.

Relief won’t be coming overnight, either. Low temperatures are expected in the mid-70s.

The projected heat comes after a heat advisory affected the entire KVOE listening area in mid-June. Once again, you should be prepared for the incoming heat by properly hydrating with water or sports drinks — instead of alcohol or caffeine — and by drinking more than you normally would, especially as the heat builds in Tuesday and Wednesday.

You’re also encouraged to wear light, loose-fitting clothes and take as many breaks as needed, either in air conditioning or shade, if you spend any extended time outdoors.

In addition, make sure children and pets are not left unattended in hot vehicles. You’re also advised to check on elderly neighbors to make sure they aren’t overheating.

Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.