by a devastating tornado traversed southeastern Missouri Wednesday morning, killing at least five people and leaving widespread destruction as authorities warned of more tornadoes.
The tornado struck Bollinger County before dawn, sending first responders on a frantic search for survivors who might be injured under the debris. the officials said.
“It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm five deaths,” Bollinger County Sheriff Casey A. Graham. said in statement.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott told NBC News Wednesday afternoon that officials are hopeful the death toll won’t rise: “Hopefully it’s (five deaths) the final (number).”
“The damage is pretty widespread. It’s heartbreaking to see it.” parrot said.
The tornado moved through rural Bollinger County, south of St. Louis, at a speed of about 45 mph, for about 15 minutes sometime between 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. CT, the National Weather Service meteorologist said. David Witen.
“It was significant given the damage it caused,” Witten said. “It’s going to be on the high end, unfortunately. It looks serious and mean.”
Glen Allen resident Joshua Wells, 30, was unable to sleep through the night due to anxiety over the oncoming tornado that rocked his community.
Despite extensive damage to his home, Wells counted himself one of the lucky ones.
“It’s been hell,” he told NBC News. “Part of the roof has been sucked in and one of the outer walls has caved in a bit, so it’s not really livable. But it’s not the worst house (in the neighborhood). There are houses that have had entire walls removed and some buildings are graded to the foundation.”
The highway patrol has He urged people to avoid the area as first responders work to find injuries.
“Tornado warnings remain in effect for areas of Missouri,” according to the State Emergency Management Agency. “Have multiple ways to receive alerts and find a safe haven when alerted.”
In addition to the ongoing threats in Missouri, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of Storm Prediction Center It also issued tornado warnings in four major swaths of the Midwest and MidSouth as wild weather is feared to strike:
There have been at least 478 reports of tornadoes in 25 states so far this year, double the average for this point in a single year.
Those tornadoes have been linked to at least 63 deaths, not including the multiple fatalities in southeast Missouri. The annual average for tornado-related deaths is 71.
melanie kucera, christian santana and The Associated Press contributed.
