Kansas tornado kills 1, destroys over 20 homes

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) – One person was killed and nearly two dozen homes destroyed in Westmoreland in the US state of Kansas after a tornado struck, authorities reported on Wednesday.

Pottawatomie County officials reported on Facebook that a tornado hit Westmoreland on Tuesday evening, damaging multiple structures. First responders are conducting searches to assess the damage and look for any injured individuals, CBS News reported.

A Pottawatomie County spokesperson confirmed one fatality in a news release and stated that the identity of the deceased was being withheld pending family notification.

Three others were injured, but not critically, the spokesperson added.

The tornado destroyed 22 homes and five outbuildings, the county spokesperson said.

"The entire city of Westmoreland was without power as of late Tuesday," he stressed.

Tuesday's storms followed tornadoes in Oklahoma two days earlier, which caused four deaths and over 100 injuries.

Earlier in the week, tornadoes hit Nebraska and Iowa, resulting in one fatality and widespread damage.