Reno County emergency officials describe EF‑3 tornado damage in Plevna; aid will rely on local donations

Reno County emergency management director Adam Weiss told commissioners an EF‑3 tornado struck the county late May 18, taking a 32‑mile track that affected Reno County along with Pratt and Stafford counties.

"It was an e f 3 rated tornado with approximately 158 mile an hour winds," Weiss said, and he told the board the storm’s widest point — about a mile across — occurred in Reno County. The town of Plevna took the heaviest damage, Weiss said.

Weiss reported nine homes were destroyed and about 28 homes were impacted in and around Plevna. He said emergency responders and rural county districts conducted grid searches to check on residents and that there were no injuries or deaths tied to the tornado.

To support people who lost homes or property, Weiss said county staff activated the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, and set up a multi‑agency resource center (MARC) at the Abbeville Community Center to connect affected residents with legal aid, insurance representatives, restoration companies, the health department and aging services. "We had 19 people come to that MARC," Weiss said; those 19 families had requested assistance as of the meeting.

Weiss described the county’s longer‑term recovery plan and funding constraints. He told the commissioners Reno County will not meet thresholds for state or federal public assistance for this event and that the county did not meet the Small Business Administration (SBA) threshold for individual disaster loans, which Weiss said typically requires 25 homes damaged beyond a defined level. "Dollars are very important for us right now because we're not gonna qualify for any state or federal help," he said.

Weiss said about 10 of the 19 families seeking help had no insurance on their homes or property. He urged community donations and said voluntary organizations active in disasters (VOAD) are collecting contributions through the Reno County United Way to distribute directly to victims. Weiss also noted a benefit concert will direct a portion of proceeds to the Plevna survivors.

Public works and volunteers have been conducting heavy cleanup operations, Weiss said. He asked for patience while recovery continues and warned the county expects a long recovery timeline, comparing it to a previous Cottonwood complex incident that took roughly two and a half years to finish reimbursement and recovery work.

Weiss and commissioners discussed other local assistance options. County staff indicated property tax relief and the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) could provide help: owners of structures damaged by the tornado may apply to the appraiser’s office for tax adjustments and later apply for NRP rebates when they rebuild. The county said it will publicize those application processes and help residents apply.

The county emphasized that donated dollars and volunteer labor will be the primary local recovery resources because of the event’s split impact across multiple counties and the resulting difficulty in meeting cumulative state and federal disaster thresholds.