At least four people have been killed in a predawn tornado that touched down in southeastern Missouri, and teams of first responders were combing destroyed homes and businesses for more victims.
The fatalities were reported in Bollinger County, where
multiple local agencies were conducting search and recovery
efforts, State Police Sergeant Clark Parrott said on Wednesday.
He
also said multiple people were injured, but did not have an
exact number.
“It’s just heartbreaking to see people’s homes missing roofs
and their homes gone,” Parrott said after surveying the damage.
“We got work ahead of us, but we will get through this.”
Storm spotters reported the tornado touched down in the area
at about 0800 GMT, according to the
National Weather Service. It was one of more than a dozen that
were spotted in the Midwest overnight, the service said.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson said in a tweet that planned to
visit the county but did not say when, as he expressed gratitude
for first responders and neighbours who helped neighbours.
READ MORE: Biden declares ‘major disaster’ as death toll from US storms rises
Power outage
The twister was spawned from a storm front sweeping across
the Midwest and South on Wednesday.
Some 24 million Americans
were under the threat of possible tornadoes and severe
thunderstorms throughout the day.
Some 75,000 homes and businesses in the Midwest, Arkansas
and Texas were without power as of midday on Wednesday,
according to Poweroutage.us.
The storm comes days after violent tornadoes tore through
parts of the South and Midwest, and as far east as Delaware,
killing at least 32 people and leaving damaged and destroyed
homes and businesses in their wake.
A week before, a tornado devastated the Mississippi Delta town of Rolling Fork, destroying many of the community’s 400 homes and killing 26 people.
READ MORE: Death toll from US tornadoes, storms climbs
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