TOPEKA, Kansas (WIBW) – A neighborhood in Topeka was destroyed beyond recognition Thursday morning.
“I heard my wife screaming,” said homeowner Thomas Criqui. “Next, trees started falling. The house was shaking. My fence is gone. You can see the trees are torn apart. My daughter was 2.5 meters away and a tree came through the roof. I don’t know what happened. It’s like a war zone.”
A violent thunderstorm hit the Oakland district and left a trail of devastation.
Residents reported feeling a chill in the air. Then, 70- to 90-mph winds hit the area, causing tree branches and power lines to fall in the neighborhood.
The city has taken the time to clean the streets so that they are passable again.
Neighbors banded together to begin the cleanup after the storm. This camaraderie is simply part of Oakland’s DNA.
“It makes you feel good about the neighborhood you live in,” said Alfred Charay, a local resident. “When the neighbors come out and call your name and know who you are. I mean, that’s the kind of neighborhood we have here on the corner. Everyone was out making sure everyone else was OK. That’s what makes us Oakland strong. I like that!”
Currently, homeowners in the Oakland area are without power. Evergy is working hard to restore power in the Topeka area, as fewer than five thousand customers are without power as of 3:30 p.m.
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