Hail Storm Leaves Major Damage

Residents and business owners are recovering after a brief hailstorm pounded a south-central Kansas town with golf ball- and baseball-sized hail.

Butler County emergency management director Jim Schmidt said the hail lasted less than 15 minutes in El Dorado Tuesday but did several hundred thousand dollars damage to the city’s downtown. He estimated total damage throughout the town could reach well over a million dollars.

No injuries were reported.

Schmidt says the storm destroyed skylights at the Wal-Mart and damaged roofs at Butler County Community College and the downtown courthouse complex. The hail broke windows, damaged roofs, pummeled cars and stripped trees across the town.

The general manager of the John K. Fisher car dealership said all the business’ cars and its offices were damaged.


Associated Press information from: The Wichita Eagle