Thunderstorm Wind in Douglas County, Kansas

A large portion of the city sustained damage. The governor issued a State of Disaster Emergency for Douglas County. At least three direct storm related injuries were reported. Windows were blown out of numerous cars and businesses. A trailer park also sustained damage. Numerous telephone poles and trees were blown down. Many trees and cars on the Kansas University campus were damaged. More than 70 of Kansas University's 116 buildings received some damage. Many homes in the city also sustained damage. Video of the event indicated a microburst with winds of 70 to 90 mph. Several notable events reflected the severity of the wind damage. A heating/cooling unit was blown from the roof of a campus residence hall and landed on a car. Several semi-trucks were blown onto their sides. Two brick spires were toppled from one of the city's oldest churches dating back to 1870. Two 60 foot tall silos at a country market near Lawrence were destroyed. Three 500 pound ventilators atop a junior high building were blown off the roof...one landing nearly 100 yards away. Each ventilator was 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The emergency manager of Douglas county estimated total damage at 8 million dollars of which 6 million dollars occurred on the Kansas University campus alone.