photo by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Bricks that made up the wall of an office building in Ottawa sit on the ground after the building was struck by an EF2 tornado Monday night.

Severe thunderstorms Monday evening led to a confirmed tornado in Ottawa, several reported injuries across Kansas and significant damage, and forecasters warn severe weather could return to region Tuesday night.

Three people in Franklin County were left with minor injuries after the storms, according to the sheriff’s office, while two people reported minor injuries in neighboring Miami County, according to officials there.

Although the City of Ottawa, Franklin County’s largest city, reported no deaths or injuries, the city reported “significant damage” that will take some time to repair. The National Weather Service and multiple local meteorologists at television stations reported a tornado touched down in Ottawa on Monday night, as the Journal-World reported.

The storm “downed multiple utility poles” between 15th and 17th streets, including poles that supplied the city’s Second Street substation which caused a power outage for the majority of the city, according to a Tuesday statement from the City of Ottawa.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed an EF2 tornado touched down in Ottawa Monday night. Its data said the tornado started west of the city at approximately 7:23 p.m. and moved east. The storm reached the severity of an EF2 at approximately 7:36 p.m. — meaning maximum wind speeds reached 125 mph. The tornado damaged several buildings, including a motel and some residential structures, and uprooted some trees in the southern part of the city before ending at 7:48 p.m.

In Miami County, just east of Franklin County, several homes were destroyed and recreational vehicles and campers were overturned, according to the sheriff’s office.

George Diepenbrock, a spokesperson with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, told the Journal-World via email there were no significant reports of damage in the county, though some heavy rains in the southern portion of the county caused some minor flooding on roadways.

The City of Ottawa said once the storm passed at 8:20 p.m., utility crews and city linemen began to restore power to critical facilities. As of Tuesday morning, the city said power was restored to “a majority of homes and businesses in Ottawa.” Diepenbrock also said the sheriff’s office sent “a few deputies” to Franklin County to assist in the response to the storm damage.

In a video statement posted to social media Tuesday afternoon, Zach Clayton, the Ottawa Mayor, said he wanted to give a “big thank you” to the response crews working “around the clock” to restore power and clear debris.

“We will get through this as a community, and we’ll continue to support our neighbors in the days and weeks to come,” Clayton said.

The cleanup efforts come at a time when there is still a risk for severe weather across Kansas. The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for 17 counties in Kansas, including Sedgwick County while much of the region, including Douglas County, is at risk for severe thunderstorms.

Kyle Poage, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Topeka office, told the Journal-World between 7 and 9 p.m., Douglas County could experience hail, high winds and the possibility of a tornado.

Diepenbrock said with the upcoming forecast for the night, the sheriff’s office “encourage(s) everyone to stay aware of weather conditions and have multiple ways to receive warnings.”

photo by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

A house destroyed by a fallen tree stands in the aftermath of an EF2 tornado that struck Ottawa Monday night.

photo by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

An uprooted tree fell on part of a roof of a house just outside of Ottawa in Franklin County.Severe weather Monday night downed powerlines, damaged several buildings and uprooted trees across Kansas, with several minor injuries reported.

photo by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The front of a two-story motel in Ottawa stands even after the exterior walls on the top story collapsed on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The building was damaged by an EF2 tornado that struck the town Monday night, part of severe storms that caused several minor injuries across Kansas.

• The Associated Press contributed information to this report.