In March, a severe thunderstorm and multiple tornadoes touched down in Missouri, with wind speeds of over 70 miles per hour and hail damaging neighborhoods and businesses and leaving 12 dead. At least 40 people have died as a result of these tornadoes sweeping through the Midwest, with deaths also reported in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama.
From March 14 through 15, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported nine tornadoes in Missouri, varying from EF-1 to EF-3 in strength. Primarily impacting southeastern Missouri, Wayne County reported six deaths: three in Ozark County and two in Butler and Jefferson counties.
“While we grieve the lives of those lost, we are also focused on action—getting power restored, clearing debris, and ensuring our communities have the resources they need to recover,” said Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe.
The city of Gads Hill within Wayne County reported four injuries and three deaths. According to the NWS report, an EF-3 tornado significantly damaged or destroyed several homes with speeds of over 150 miles per hour, continuing on a path for about 30 miles. Another EF-3 tornado in the city of Leeper within Wayne County threw a camper into the Black River, resulting in two deaths, according to the same report.
Rolla, a city in Phelps County, Missouri, saw both their elementary and middle schools damaged by a tornado. There were no fatalities or injuries reported. Students and faculty were reportedly evacuated in the middle of a school theatre production as the tornado warnings went off. In Villa Ridge, Missouri, 13 people were saved by emergency responders after hiding in the bathroom of a Burger King restaurant.
As of March 16, approximately 47,000 individuals remain without power as crews continue restoration efforts. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in conjunction with FEMA and local officials, are currently assessing the damage in preparation for a federal major disaster declaration request.
The tornadoes have also increased the destruction of adjacent extreme weather events, including wildfires in Oklahoma, flooding in Georgia and Louisiana, and dust storms in Kansas and Texas.
In response to the widespread devastation, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard to support affected regions, specifically Arkansas at the time of this report. About two weeks following the storm and tornadoes, all of the Red Cross shelters in Missouri operated following the storms, and they have since closed. The NWS currently reports marginal risks for extreme weather events but continues to warn residents in Missouri and across the Midwest and South to remain prepared.
By Lois Angelo