Cleanup efforts are continuing today in the aftermath of a storm Saturday night that left thousands without power and damaged homes in Wyandotte County.
The storm caused damage throughout Wyandotte County, and an area in Stony Point was particularly hard hit. Unified Government officials today are giving residents information on how they can dispose of tree limbs and storm debris.
There were about 2,000 customers without power in Wyandotte County this morning, according to a Board of Public Utilities spokesman.
Matt May, Wyandotte County emergency management director, reported to a Unified Government Committee Monday night that a microburst hit the affected Stony Point area, defined as 80th Terrace on the east, Minnesota on the north, Ella on the south and 85th on the west.
May said a large amount of wind came straight down, then burst out to the sides. UG officials toured the storm-damaged areas on Sunday and significant work is going on to clean up the area, he said. Residents are helping each other, he added.
He also said damage assessments in the area are now being done by UG codes personnel.
The Red Cross did its own damage assessment, he added. The Red Cross is out again today helping and interviewing people, May said.
That assessment found that two homes were destroyed, 11 homes suffered major damage, 22 had minor damage, and 51 others had effects such as trees that fell on cars, outbuildings damaged or fence lines damaged, he said.
An additional 108 homes in that area were without power originally, he said. In all 194 homes were evaluated with four Red Cross teams, he said.
May said residents with large amounts of tree limbs at the curb may contact the 311 telephone line to ask if the UG can pick up the debris.
Today, he said Red Cross efforts are continuing to contact all residents within the Stony Point storm damage area to see if there are other needs.
He said there were pockets of damage all throughout Wyandotte County, with Argentine another area that has been hit.
Power outages continue; 85 percent of customers have been restored
The Board of Public Utilities reported that as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, about 2,000 customers remain without power, a spokesman stated.
BPU crews have restored power to about 85 percent of affected customers, according to the spokesman.
Every crew along with outside contractor crews are working on the remaining restoration efforts, the spokesman stated. The BPU hopes to have power restored to the majority of its customers by this evening, the spokesman stated.
In the hardest hit area, Stony Point, there have been crews working in the area nonstop since 2 a.m. Sunday, the BPU spokesman stated.
Storm debris dropoff sites
Edwin Birch, Unified Government spokesman, said today that public works crews have removed trees out of the streets, and sites have been established for residents to drop off tree limbs.
Crews are helping residents dispose of limbs in the area of highest impact, according to Birch. Residents there are asked to place the limbs at the curbside.
Others who are not in the heavy impact area may place their limbs on the curb by Aug. 9 for pickup and telephone 311 to request pickup. There is also a 311 online email at https://311.wycokck.org/service-requests.
Birch said the three dropoff sites for Kansas City, Kansas, residents include:
• The Recycling Yard Waste Center at 3241 Park Drive, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.;
• The Storm Debris Drop-off Center at 82nd and Riverview, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.;
• The Waste Management Landfill, 17955 Holliday Drive in Shawnee Kan., off I-435 and Holliday Drive. Nothing larger than 3 inches diameter and 4 feet in length will be accepted there. Wyandotte County residents with proof of residency may drop off limbs for free, one load per week, no more than 3 cubic yards per load. From 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Those who live outside of the heavy impact area are asked to take their limbs to a dropoff site or to telephone 311 to request pickup.
Limbs that are set out for the trash pickup by Waste Management need to be bundled and cut to less than 3 inches diameter and 4 feet in length.
Birch said the 311 number received more than 100 calls from Kansas City, Kansas, residents because of downed limbs on the night of the storm.
For more information on storm debris cleanup, visit http://www.wycokck.org/.