"Devastating." That's how Kansas Governor Laura Kelly described the damage caused by Tuesday's massive tornado. Kelly took an aerial tour of northeast Kansas Thursday to survey the widespread destruction in Douglas and Leavenworth counties. She was joined by the state director of emergency management, Major General Lee Tafanelli. After the tour, the governor and the general spoke to reporters. KPR's J. Schafer was there and prepared these highlights from the news conference.
That's Major General Lee Tafanelli, the state director of emergency preparedness, along with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. They spoke to reporters in Lawrence Thursday afternoon, following an aerial tour of tornado damage in Douglas and Leavenworth counties.
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Flooding Remains a Concern in Kansas but Officials Downplay Dangers of Sabetha Dam Failure
As Kansans continue to clean up from tornado damage, state officials have been worrying about the possibility of another natural disaster -- flooding. Major General Lee Tafanelli is the state's director of emergency management.
The situation with the dam near Sabetha is now less severe than previously thought. Thursday night, officials feared the damn would fail and cause flash flooding downstream on the Delaware River. But that's not the case now. The National Weather Service reports today (FRI) that officials in Nemaha County no longer believe flash flooding will be a major concern, even if the dam fails.
Elsewhere in the state...
Roads are closed in central Kansas and a community is in danger of losing much of its golf course because of continued flooding. Officials say flooding remains a concern because of storms earlier in the week. Rice County emergency management officials say the Arkansas River is out of its banks and there is flooding along Cow Creek. Officials say floodwaters are also flowing through the Sterling Country Club.
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