Winds cause damage, power outages in Missouri and NE Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A storm that swept through Missouri left thousands without power across the state early Tuesday.

No major injuries have been reported. The National Weather Service received reports of wind gusts between 60 and 75 mph.

Early Tuesday, Kansas City Power & Light reported about 23,000 people without power in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Utility companies reported more than 3,000 people without power in the Ozarks.

And Ameren Missouri said about 22,000 people lost power early Tuesday in the St. Louis area and in central and north-central Missouri, with more than 15,000 customers of Columbia Water and Light without power.

The National Weather Service said some windows were broken out of stores in Hannibal and two power poles caught fire when winds whipped the lines in Sedalia.

Strong winds that blew through central and northeast Kansas left trees down and created power outages but no serious injuries have been reported.

Winds reaching more than 60 mph, accompanied by rain and hail hit the state late Monday and early Tuesday.

Westar reported up to 25,000 customers without power after the storm but that number had been reduced to about 6,000 early Tuesday. Power outages were reported in Shawnee, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Douglas, Riley and Geary counties.

The Kansas Department of Transportation closed a section of U.S. 24 in Riley County Monday night because of downed power lines. The department said the road was expected to reopen Tuesday morning but warned drivers to find alternate routes for the morning commute.