Tornado Hits Ottawa Kansas Causing Damage No Serious Injuries

A tornado tore through Ottawa, Kansas, on Monday evening, causing extensive structural damage across several blocks in the small city about 50 miles southwest of Kansas City but resulting in no fatalities or serious injuries.

The twister struck shortly after 7:30 p.m., with the National Weather Service confirming touchdown near Ottawa at 7:38 p.m. It moved west to east through Franklin County, toppling power lines, snapping trees and ripping roofs from buildings. Much of the city lost electricity, and emergency responders described streets as impassable amid downed poles and debris. The hardest-hit zone spanned Main Street between 15th and 23rd streets, with severe destruction concentrated near 17th Street.

Randy McCurdy, 70, and his wife Gwen watched the storm approach from their porch off Main Street as sirens blared. Heavy hail fell without rain, obscuring visibility, before they sought shelter in their basement. "You could hear the roar," McCurdy said. By Tuesday morning, their family-owned auto shop of 45 years at Main and 17th streets lay in ruins, its roof gone and cinder blocks scattered. A nearby Ford sedan had its windows shattered and frame shifted six feet. Adjacent,...