Miami County leaders have declared a state of emergency after severe storms brought destructive hail across the area Wednesday afternoon. The Miami County Sheriff’s Office said officials in the City of Paola, the City of Osawatomie and Miami County all made “verbal emergency declarations” following the storm, citing damage to structures and vehicles. National Weather Service storm reports show just how intense the hail was. In Paola, hail was measured at up to 2.5 inches, with some estimates reaching as large as 4 inches in diameter. Nearby areas also saw significant impacts, including baseball-sized hail north of Osawatomie and ping pong ball-sized hail reported just east of the city. Additional reports south of Hillsdale showed hail around 2 inches in diameter. The sheriff’s office said the emergency declaration will allow local governments to access additional resources to assist with cleanup and repairs.
Read more: KMBC
