May 1, 2022
The lights started flickering and eventually went out, and within a minute from that the whole house started shaking and it was so loud.
Flor Delgado speaking of the moment a tornado passed over her home in Kansas, where the governor declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the storm.
- The tornado impacted an area roughly over 4 miles.
- The severe weather tore apart buildings and left thousands without electricity; miraculously, emergency crews continue to report no fatalities and only a handful of injuries due to the tornado itself. Three meteorology college students died in a car crash when their car reportedly hydroplaned and collided with a tractor trailer.
- Flor Delgado, who lost her home and personal items, went on to describe her experience with her husband this way: "In the moment I realized there is absolutely nothing we could do. I knew my husband felt it too because he was calm and comforting me, but at one point he just starts losing it and crying. I could hear his voice cracking as he’s praying."
- Why It Matters: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly preemptively declared a State of Disaster Emergency as the storm hit on Friday night in order to free up state resources to help the most impacted areas.
- More Context: Back in 1991, a tornado which cut a path across 69 miles killed 17 people in the same area of Kansas; that tornado likewise happened during the final week of April. READ MORE
by Jenna Lee,
