Local disaster emergency declared for Wyandotte County

Teams from the Unified Government’s Public Works Department and the Board of Public Utilities have worked since late Wednesday to restore service, clear roads, and assess the damage caused by last night’s historic severe weather, according to a spokesman.

“I want to reassure the public that the Unified Government is working diligently to assess the damage caused by last night’s severe weather,” said Unified Government Mayor-CEO Tyrone Garner. “To support this effort, I have issued a state of local disaster emergency for Wyandotte County.”

Last night’s power outages peaked at more than 9,000, and Public Works teams removed 18 downed trees from local roadways.

“The State of Local Disaster Emergency advises the state of Kansas of our status after last night’s storm, and it makes the Unified Government eligible for both short-term resources assistance and long-term reimbursement if needed,” said Unified Government Emergency Management Director Matt May.

Based upon data collected since last night, much of Wyandotte County was impacted by the storm, which saw wind gusts nearing 70 miles per hour.

Public Works street superintendents are in the field today assessing damage, and work is expected to continue through the weekend. BPU teams continue to work diligently to restore power for approximately 2,000 addresses.

To report downed trees blocking roadways, call 3-1-1 or visit mywyco.wycokck.org

To report power outages, contact BPU by calling 913-573-9522