Damaging tornado passes through Douglas County, destroying homes, trees, power lines; at least a dozen people injured

A large tornado touched down in Douglas County shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday, destroying multiple homes, trees and power lines, and injuring at least a dozen people.

The majority of damage to structures appears to have occurred outside the Lawrence city limits, the Lawrence Police Department said. However, damaged trees, power lines and other debris were spotted on the southeastern edge of the city, and some roads were impassable as a result of downed power lines and flash flooding.

In the rural Shank Hill neighborhood south of Lawrence — a high spot along U.S. Highway 59 between Pleasant Grove and the Wakarusa River — more than a dozen homes were severely damaged. Many of them had lost their roofs and their contents were drenched and scattered.