More than 100 cars damaged after baseball-sized hail
Matias’s car was one that sustained thousands of dollars worth of damage in the evening’s wind and weather event. She had only had the vehicle since March.
By Abby Wray
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ARKANSAS CITY, Kansas (KAKE) — When you drive around Arkansas City, you can see leaves in the street, downed tree limbs, and plenty of shattered windshields, all the result of extreme hail and wind, and the city says the clean-up could take two weeks or longer.
Tennis and baseball-sized hail hit hard in Arkansas City late Tuesday.
“The sky was green, which was a very scary sign. I have honestly never experienced this severe weather in this town before in my lifetime and I was born in ’89,” said Kylie Matias, an Arkansas City resident.
Matias’s car was one that sustained thousands of dollars worth of damage in the evening’s wind and weather event. She had only had the vehicle since March.
“It was really loud, very intense. We were really happy that the wind didn’t pick up as much as we were worried it would,” explained Matias.
David Eagle, the owner of Eagle Collision Center, says that before noon on Wednesday, his collision center had already received more than 100 calls for car repairs like broken windshields and dents from hail.
“A lot of the vehicles, depending on their year, make, and model, will total,” said Eagle.
He estimates dozens of cars in the Ark City area have already been totaled out, due to the extreme size of hail.
His shop didn’t escape Tuesday’s bad weather either.
“And there was about an inch and a half, inch of water that poured in from damage from the hail- it caused leaks in the roof,” explained Eagle.
Eagle says he’ll have to replace the flooring of his business as a result of the storm. However, other places in town received even more damage.
The Ark City Public Library had multiple windows broken as a result of the hail.
City officials say individuals and homeowners are responsible for cleanup after this storm.
The city was already midway through clean-up from a previous storm on June 7, and it will not be coming back around to the homes already cleaned, so folks are responsible for collecting any leftover branches and taking them to the dump themselves.
The City urges all residents to avoid flood-prone areas and use extreme caution. Do not attempt to cross flooded roadways. “Our top priority is public safety,” said Randy Frazer, Ark City city manager. “We’re doing everything we can to keep people informed and protected during this response. We’re grateful for everyone’s understanding and support.
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