TOPEKA, Kan. - Forty-six years ago, a tornado tore through downtown Topeka, leaving 16 people dead and more than $100 million in damage.
 
     The tornado hit Topeka at 6:55 p.m. on June 8, 1966, and stayed on the ground for 39 minutes. It followed a 22-mile path through the heart of the city.
 
     The Topeka Capital-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/L8WSd3 ) that if adjusted for inflation, the damage total today would be around $716 million.
 
     Despite the destruction and deaths, many Topekans believe more people would have been killed if residents had not sought cover.
 
     Bill Kurtis, a newsman at WIBW-TV at the time, is credited with saving lives. His urgent warning "For God's sake, take cover" is part of the city's lore.