A tornado in Missouri left multiple fatalities and significant damage overnight as the Midwest prepares for severe weather and the potential for more tornadoes Wednesday.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed there are “injuries and fatalities” in the area and said it was working with local officials in Bollinger County, located in southeastern Missouri, for search and rescue efforts. It is unclear how many people have died as a result of the tornado.
OVER 30 DEAD AFTER STORM SYSTEM SWEEPS THE NATION
Patrol is on the scene assisting multiple agencies with search and rescue efforts.
Please avoid the area and give first responders room to operate.
This picture was taken west of Marble Hill. pic.twitter.com/vDahm5UHnI
— MSHP Troop E (@MSHPTrooperE) April 5, 2023
“Patrol is on the scene assisting multiple agencies with search and rescue efforts. Please avoid the area and give first responders room to operate,” MSHP tweeted Wednesday.
The tornado hit overnight, with authorities saying more details on the injuries and deaths will be offered when it becomes available.
Gov. Mike Parson (R-MO) said he would visit the site of the damage “to further assess damage and learn what resources will be needed during recovery.”
Severe weather is expected through much of the Midwest on Wednesday, with a band of storms putting areas as far south as Arkansas and as far north as Michigan in a tornado watch late Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service is warning of an “enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms” on Wednesday ranging “from the greater Memphis metro area to southern Michigan.” It also predicts there is a “slight risk of excessive rainfall” from part of Eastern Texas to the Ohio Valley on Wednesday.
Authorities are warning that those in the region should monitor forecasts closely throughout the day and heed shelter if necessary.
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The new severe weather threat comes days after heavy storms in the South and Midwest resulted in dozens of tornadoes, leaving 30 people dead across Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Delaware, and Mississippi.
