Ottawa Tornado: Devastation & Recovery

0:00It's April 14, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Kansas News Today, local news powered by AI. A tornado ripped through Ottawa, Kansas, on Monday night, around 7.38 p.m., confirmed by the National Weather Service. It carved a path west of East and Long Main Street, hitting hardest between 15th and 23rd streets, especially near 17th. No rain at first, then hail poor down, and the roar forced folks like 70-year-old Randy McCurdy into basements as power lines snapped, everywhere. Damage hit businesses bad, starting with the McCurdy's his family auto shop of 45 years. Roof gone, blocks tossed around, even a car shove six. Feet, right behind, the nights in lost its entire roof, leaving rooms wide open. Daylight donuts took a blow too, with front glass shattered and beams shifted out of place. Locals scanned the skies from porches, then hunkered down as debris flew like broken bones from snap trees. The McCurdy's checked wreckage till 2 a.m., relieved guests at the motel escaped serious

1:02harm. City officials reported no deaths or major injuries, prioritizing life safety amid the chaos. Emergency crews handled reports of a trap driver underlines, a big gas leak, flatten poles, and even a stuck school bus with kids inside. By Tuesday morning, utility workers climbed poles to restore power on debris-sterooned streets. There was storm last minutes, but the cleanup and rebuild stretch ahead, folks like donut shot worker Vushengling hoped to bounce back quick, eyeing a Wednesday reopen if luck holds.