Grain Valley businesses recover after damage from EF-1 tornado

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed there were two tornadoes from Monday night's storms in the Greater Kansas City area.

There was an EF-0 in northeastern Platte County, and an EF-1 from Blue Springs to Grain Valley, Missouri.

“I was freaking out because I didn’t want our stuff to be all over the yard," said Hunter Johnston, owner of Eagle's Academy.

Johnston's business is in Grain Valley off Southwest Eagles Parkway near 40 Highway.

Elyse Schoenig / KSHB

It was one of a few businesses with roof damage on that street alone.

"Everything's been cosmetic and no structural damage," Johnston said. "Luckily, we have a really good plan in place. If kids are here, we have evacuation plans and safety classrooms."

It's why they still opened safely for their kids and families Tuesday.

It was an unexpected morning for Trailside RV Park manager Wayne Brown, too.

“The trailer flipped over in the grass out front was the first thing I saw," he said. “It’s a lot better than what could’ve been.”

He had some damage to a few campers, plus the one that was flipped over.

“You really can’t prepare," he said. "I mean, they are campers, they’re lightweight, they’re designed to be pulled by vehicles so they’re not heavy. So it doesn’t take a whole lot to pick them up and put them wherever God wants them to be.”

So both businesses will stay alert and prepare for what they can expect.

An NWS crew is still in the field as of Tuesday afternoon looking at other damage reports across the region.

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