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Homes destroyed, injuries reported
Barton County residents take cover
new deh storm damage pic
A storm caused extensive damage Tuesday night seven miles west and three-quarters of a mile north of Great Bend. - photo by Photo courtesy of Kristy Straub

Barton County residents were warned Tuesday night to take shelter as a tornadic thunderstorm traveled from Pawnee Rock to Susank and Beaver.
Barton County Emergency Management Director Amy Miller declared a state of emergency at 8:24 p.m., which was approved by Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Schartz. The state of emergency was called after a tornado touched down in the Pawnee Rock area, where Emergency Management reported one person injured and damage to one home.
A Great Bend Tribune employee reported two houses were destroyed in the 700 block of West Barton County Road. One person was being treated at Great Bend Regional Hospital for minor injuries at 9:30 p.m.
A gas line was broken west of Pawnee Rock.
Traffic was blocked for a time on K-96 near the Mullergren Plant between Great Bend and Albert, where a high voltage line was down.
Power lines were down around the county and law enforcement was advising people to stay off the roads if possible.

Progress of the storm
Tornado sirens were sounded around 8:15 p.m. in Great Bend. Then at 8:37 p.m. the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for northern Barton County. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located just west of Hoisington, moving northeast at 40 mph.
There was a hazard of possible tornado and quarter size hail.
At 8:46 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 9 miles north of Hoisington, moving northeast at 45 mph.
The NWS reported radar indicated rotation.
A tornado watch for Barton and Russell counties was in effect until 10 p.m., and a severe thunderstorm watch was in effect until midnight.
Around 9 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located southwest of Dorrance, or 10 miles west of Wilson, moving northeast at 40 mph.
Barton County Emergency Management reported two homes north of Pawnee Rock were damaged in the storm and one person was injured.
Elsewhere in Barton County, power poles and tree limbs were damaged. The tornado appeared to have crossed SW 100 Ave. and SW 30 Road, where stop signs at both intersections were down.