Storm damage affects residents across Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT) — Throughout early Wednesday morning, severe storms swept through northeast Kansas, causing severe damage to backyards and homes.

Residents by Lake Sherwood in southwest Topeka saw multiple uplifted trees, fallen limbs and flipped boats. Larre Betsworth, who's backyard now houses a large toppled tree that's been a landmark at Lake Sherwood for over 50 years, says he's lucky his house didn't catch any damage.

"I got woken up at about 3:15 a.m. to the house shaking and a terrible noise, like a freight train was coming down the road," Betsworth said. "Throughout the neighborhood we got boats flipped over, we've got a lift over here as you can see that's been flipped up, but there's trees down everywhere."

27 News also spoke with Randy Hoffman, from Topeka, who said his entire backyard was shaken up from the storm.

"This is the worst damage we've seen from storms since we've lived here," Hoffman said. "Me and my wife we took it [the trampoline] apart and manhandled it back where it goes. Then I got my chain saw out and was cleaning up where the tree fell over."

City officials told 27 News there will be no pickup services for tree limbs throughout Topeka.

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