Tornadoes, strong gusts result in 10,000 power outages, damage to KC area
A tornado touched down Wednesday evening west of Belton, according to the National Weather Service.
"TAKE SHELTER NOW!!!" the Weather Service tweeted shortly after 9 p.m.
A tornado was headed "directly down I-470 for Lee's Summit," the Weather Service said shortly after one touched down in Belton. Another also may have touched down around Lee's Summit.
Around 10,000 residential households and businesses are without power, according to the Kansas City Power & Light outage map.
One Raytown resident is feeling lucky he and his family were unharmed after an oak tree came through the roof.
"I honestly thought it was a tornado," Sean Hagey said in a Twitter message to The Star. He lives near 83rd and Raytown Road. "We were just in the guest bedroom folding clothes, and when the sirens went off, we decided to turn on the TV and check the weather. That's when the windows exploded and the tree crashed into the house.
"It's a good thing we weren't in our bed."
Hagey said he and his wife and three daughters are staying with friends Wednesday due to the damage. He has 6-year-old twins and a 9-year-old.
"Will have to find a hotel ... for the next few months," he said.
Jackson County was clear of the tornado warning at about 10 p.m., the Weather Service said, adding that the area will still see rain and gusty winds for a few hours more.
The storm caused delays at Kansas City International Airport. Seven flights scheduled to arrive at KCI between 9:54 and 9:56 p.m. were canceled, according to FlightView.com.
Damage to property was reported throughout the area. About four downed power lines were reported in Leawood, near 133rd and Mission streets, according to the Fire Department. No injuries were reported.
Jeremy McNeive, a spokesman for KCP&L, said the number of power outages was significant "in this type of storm."
At 10,000 outages, McNeive added, the power company must consider calling in backup utility companies to repair the damage.
Crews will be working through the night and focusing first on repairing areas that will "turn the most lights on at one time," McNeive said.
McNeive added that downed power lines should "absolutely" be avoided if encountered.
No injuries were reported in Cass County, according to Cass Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Tieman.
Severe thunderstorm warnings remain in place throughout the area, according to the National Weather Service, with all expiring by 11:45 p.m. or before.
The affected cities include: Warrensburg, Clinton, Sedalia, Macon and Houstonia.
For a complete list, visit the National Weather Service's Twitter account.
This story was originally published May 2, 2018 at 9:34 PM with the headline "Tornadoes, strong gusts result in 10,000 power outages, damage to KC area."