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Tornado Rakes Ottawa, Kansas, Leaving Damage and Power Outages as Surveys Begin

Officials begin damage surveys Tuesday as recovery ramps up.

Lightning flashes beyond an apartment building as a thunderstorm passes in the distance Monday, April 13, 2026, in Lenexa, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Lightning flashes beyond an office building as a thunderstorm passes in the distance, Monday, April 13, 2026, in Lenexa, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Lightning flashes as a thunderstorm passes in the distance Monday, April 13, 2026, in Lenexa, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
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Overview

  • A fast‑moving supercell that reached Ottawa Monday evening damaged multiple buildings near 15th to 17th streets and left widespread power outages that could take time to fix.
  • Meteorologists confirmed a tornado near 15th Street and Eisenhower Road around 7:40 p.m., with power flashes pointing to strikes on lines and poles.
  • Officials reported several minor injuries in Franklin County with no deaths confirmed, and they urged drivers to avoid dark intersections and any downed lines.
  • After Monday’s storms, Gov. Laura Kelly declared a verbal disaster emergency, the state emergency operations center activated, and shelters opened in Ottawa and at a Red Cross site in Paola.
  • National Weather Service teams scheduled Tuesday surveys in Franklin, Miami, Linn and Bates counties to confirm tornado tracks and ratings in a broader outbreak that also produced tornadoes and large hail in Minnesota and Wisconsin.