Its path through southwest Lawrence was short but ferocious, leaving roofless homes, overturned cars and shaken residents.

No major injuries were reported in the first few hours after a tornado hit Thursday evening, but the storm cleared a swath of property on the edge of town, causing major damage to 40 homes and six apartment buildings.

“This would be damage to the extent that people probably would not be able to stay in those buildings,” said Brad Finkeldei of the Douglas County chapter of the American Red Cross. He estimated 100 people were left homeless.

The tornado, one of at least seven reported in 28 counties, hit Lawrence at 7:34 p.m. and swept northeast from 33rd and Iowa streets to an area just northeast of Clinton Parkway and Wakarusa Drive.

“To be honest, it was a small, isolated area,” said Mark Bradford, deputy chief of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical.

Insulation and other debris were spread far as five miles, to Interstate 70 on the north side of town.

“I saw the debris and said, ‘Oh yeah, this is real,'” said Sue Lewis, who had windows blown out of her house and shingles stripped from her roof. “I’ve lived in Kansas for 56 years, and I’ve never seen one. But now that I know what it’s like, it really does sound like a train coming across your house.”

A tornado hits southwest Lawrence, as seen from the ball diamonds at Holcom Park Sports Complex, 2700 W. 27th St. Thursday's tornado touched down in southwest Lawrence, causing property damage.

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One person was injured after stepping on debris while looking at damage. Five or six others later were treated and released for minor injuries at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

‘We’re lucky’

When the tornado hit Lawrence, Laura Hays was in her bathroom. She walked out of her bathroom only to go right back in.

“I saw the funnel at the house across the street,” the Kansas University junior said. “I jumped into the tub. I could feel it get really cold in the room. I peeked out my door, and I thought my neighbor’s house was gone.”

In fact, her neighbor’s house was nearly gone. Located in the 2300 block of Ranch Way, it was one of the hardest hit. The garage doors of Hays’ own house were pushed in, making it impossible for her to get her car out. Law enforcement officials evacuated her block about a half-hour after the storm hit.

Also suffering extensive damage was the area around Aberdeen Apartments & Townhomes, 2300 Wakarusa Drive, where the tornado lifted much of one building’s roof. Raintree Montessori school’s roof was damaged, and there was the possibility Southwest Junior High also was damaged. Throughout the area, trees and power lines were snapped. Sheriff Rick Trapp said no other damage had been reported in Douglas County.

“We’re lucky it wasn’t more than it was,” said Joe Eagleman, a retired Kansas University professor of atmospheric science. “That was a thunderstorm that had the structure to produce a very strong tornado.”

Eagleman said advances in storm-warning technology gave Lawrence residents ample warning of the tornado’s approach.

“I was watching Channel 5 and I could see the hook echo when it was 20 miles west of Lawrence,” he said. “And they were showing Doppler radar in real-time that showed the tornado forming before it hit Lawrence.”

150 mph

The damage indicated the tornado had winds of about 150 mph, about an F1 or F2 on the Fujita scale, said Ross Janssen, 6News meteorologist. He said the storm, which left about 1,800 homes without power, weakened as it moved over Lawrence into Leavenworth County.

Douglas County Commissioner Charles Jones said the county had declared a state of emergency and would be asking for federal and state disaster loan assistance.

Meanwhile, law enforcement officials urged sightseers to stay off the streets in southwest Lawrence so emergency workers could get through, and Douglas County Emergency Management officials said people should stay off telephones to allow emergency calls to get through. Lawrence Police officials said the Kansas National Guard would be called in to help control the damaged sites.

The storm system moved into Douglas County from Osage County, where damage was reported near Lyndon. Osage County Sheriff Ken Lippert said there were reports of homes and barns destroyed but no injuries.

After plowing through Lawrence, the funnel pulled back up into the clouds about a mile and a half south and west of the Kansas University campus, according to a 6News weather spotter.

Near Lone Star

“We feel lucky,” said Bruce Mctavish, whose house was in the tornado’s path as it crossed into Douglas from Osage County.

Mctavish and his wife, Margaret Hawthorne, watched the funnel retreat into the sky as it passed over his house near Lone Star Lake.

The wind was blowing in one direction, he said, and the clouds were moving at a 90-degree angle to the wind.

Without a basement, they weathered the storm in their bathroom, hugging when it was over.

He’ll respect the weather more in the future, Mctavish said — and think twice about not having a basement.

“There’s a shovel,” he said his wife joked when it was over. “Go dig.”

¢ 6News video: Twisters damage several homes¢ 6News video: Home video shows funnel coming from wall cloud¢ 6News video: While many homes were damaged, no serious injuries¢ 6News video: The tornado was estimated at a mile wide at one point¢ Photo gallery: The aftermath¢ Apartment complex at center of storm¢ Eyewitnesses describe wrath of tornado¢ ’81 twister hit city’s S.W. side¢ Residents bewildered after narrow escape¢ Officials ask onlookers to stay away¢ Twisters roll across state, but injuries at a minimum¢ Help available for those left homeless by storm¢ Tornado touches down in southwest Lawrence¢Local forecast¢Stories, video, photos from Sunday’s tornadoes