Boat rescues needed in Kansas town flooded by rain as NWS Wichita predicts more storms

Rescuers have used boats to help evacuate more than 100 people from a flooded town in northern Kansas. The rescues come as meteorologists predict continuing storms.

The town of Natoma in Osborne County has been hard-hit by floodwaters.

“The south side of town is under water from Paradise Creek,” National Weather Service local storm reports said as of 8:55 a.m. “Emergency management is estimating that over 100 people have now been displaced. Evacuations and boat rescues are still undersay.”

The town’s population is estimated to be less than 300 people

Codell, which is just upstream of Natoma, had a report of more than 8 inches of rain.

USD 399 Natoma-Paradise-Waldo said “the high school building is open if anyone needs a place to go to get away from the floodwaters.” Ellis County Fire & Emergency Management has helped get an American Red Cross shelter trailer to Natoma.

The NWS office in Hastings, Nebraska, which covers the Natoma area, reports that another 1-2 inches of rain through Sunday night cannot be ruled out. A flash flood warning advises about “life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.”

The NWS Wichita office said in a hazardous weather outlook Sunday morning that scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue moving slowly eastward across the state. Storms are not expected to be strong or severe.

“Excessive runoff from last nights very heavy rainfall will continue to cause some flooding problems across portions of central Kansas this morning,” the weather service said.

“Scattered storms may redevelop across the area this afternoon and evening. A strong or marginally severe storm or two will be possible. The primary threat will be heavy rain but nickel to quarter sized hail and wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph may also be possible.”

In the city of Wichita, NWS weather forecasts include a chance for rain and thunderstorms every day this week.

The weather service reported several 24-hour rainfall totals in Kansas through 8 a.m., including:

• 8.16 inches a mile northwest of Codell
• 8.02 inches in Bennington

• 6.58 inches recorded 7 miles north of Salina

• 6.07 inches in Tescott

• 5.86 inches 6 miles northwest of New Cambria

• 5.45 inches in New Cambria

• 5.24 inches a mile southeast of Lincoln

• 4.95 inches in Luray

• 4.42 inches in Beverly

• 4.2 inches in Sylvan Grove

This story was originally published May 16, 2021 at 12:19 PM.