Kansas man captures video of deadly Westmoreland EF-3 tornado spinning right above him

Steven Yablonski
·2 min read
10

WESTMORELAND, Kan. – A Kansas man recorded incredible video showing a deadly EF-3 tornado spinning right above him in the town of Westmoreland as dirt and debris were being lofted into the air on Tuesday afternoon.

The deadly event occurred as severe weather pushed through regions of the Plains and Midwest that were hit hard by a deadly tornado outbreak last weekend.

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The dramatic video was recorded by Buster Schmitz, who said he was at a convenience store grabbing soda for his drive home when the storm struck. He said he heard the tornado sirens wailing and knew a tornado had to be close.

And when he looked up, that's when he said he saw the funnel swirling right above his head.

The video shows dirt and debris being sucked up by the tornado before it pans up, showing the long, rope tornado swirling high into the clouds.

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He said he then left that area and drove a few blocks away, where he captured another video of the funnel cloud swirling above him.

Again he panned the video higher into the sky, showing how far into the air the clouds were swirling above him.

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The hardest-hit region appeared to be in Pottawatomie County, where officials confirmed the death and injuries in the town of Westmoreland.

Damage in the Kansas town was considerable, with county officials saying nearly two dozen homes were destroyed, and another 13 homes were damaged by the tornado. At least one commercial building was also damaged during the extreme weather event.

The National Weather Service determined the twister was an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and packed winds up to 140 mph.

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Pottawatomie County Sheriff Shane Jager said a curfew was enacted Tuesday night, and the cleanup from the storm could take days.

A shelter was also opened for residents impacted by the storm.


Original article source: Kansas man captures video of deadly Westmoreland EF-3 tornado spinning right above him