EMPORIA, Kan. — Authorities say that a possible tornado caused damage across Lyon County on Saturday evening, including derailing a freight train near Emporia.
According to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, authorities are avoiding part of the derailed train due to possible hazardous waste. There were no reports of injuries in the incident, which involved a reported 34 train cars on BNSF tracks near Road 150 and Road V.
Authorities say that a possible tornado caused damage to buildings north of Olpe, Kansas, around 7:00 P.M. There was also damage reported to houses and farm buildings near Road 100 and Road R.
“We have a lot of reports of storm damage, and we believe we had some type of tornado come through,” said Lyon County Sheriff Jeff Cope in a statement to the Emporia Gazette on Saturday evening. “We obviously have a train derailment cause by the storm, and then we have numerous reports of outbuildings and some minor house damage following this path for about five miles.”
The entire region remains under a tornado watch until 11:00 P.M. on Saturday.