(Photo: Travis Heying, AP)
EUREKA — The governor has declared an emergency after eight people were injured when a tornado slammed into a small town in eastern Kansas.
The tornado touched down Tuesday night in the Greenwood County town of Eureka, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Wichita. Greenwood County Emergency Management said on Twitter that the community of about 2,400 people took a “direct hit.”
Gov. Jeff Colyer declared a state of disaster emergency in the county about an hour after the storm hit.
Kansas Adjutant General’s Office spokeswoman Jane Welch says the high school, along with several homes and businesses were damaged. Assessments of the damage are underway. Welch says she didn’t know how seriously the eight victims were hurt.
A shelter has been set up at a church for displaced residents.
State of emergency declared after a #tornado tore through Eureka, Kansas, Tuesday evening. https://t.co/lPOXB03XE5 (Photos: @LiveStormsMedia) pic.twitter.com/HPNXkPG0OF
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) June 27, 2018
#Wow! Damage pics from #Eureka #Kansas tonight. Witnesses say a #tornado touched down on the west side of town. Pics courtesy of Troy Fisher. pic.twitter.com/8pwImOWy1F
— Jeff Herndon (@JeffHerndonKSN) June 27, 2018
