Missouri tornado kills and injures many

A deadly hurricane Torn through southeastern Missouri On Wednesday morning, authorities warned of more twisters leaving widespread destruction.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol sent troopers to Bollinger County to assist “several local agencies in search and rescue efforts following a tornado in the Glenallen area.” The company said in a statement.

Officials have not released an official death toll, saying only that “injuries and deaths have been confirmed” in a tweet.

The tornado touched down between 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. in rural Bollinger County, south of St. Louis, officials said.

“The damage is so widespread. It’s heartbreaking to see,” said State Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott. Associated Press.

“Tornado warnings remain in place for parts of Missouri,” the agency said. “Have multiple ways to receive alerts and find safe shelter when alerted.”

A TweetThe State Highway Patrol urged people to avoid the area.

In addition to ongoing threats in Missouri, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Storm Prediction Center As wild weather is feared to hit, tornado warnings have been issued for four major regions of the Midwest and Mid-South:

• Michigan, Northern Indiana and Northwest Ohio;
• Central and Southern Indiana and southwestern Ohio;
• Central and Eastern Arkansas, West Tennesseewestern Kentucky and southern Illinois;
• And inside West Arkansas and the far eastern border region of Texas and Oklahoma.

There have been at least 478 tornado reports in 25 states so far this year, more than double the annual average.

Those twisters have been linked to at least 63 deaths, including several in southeast Missouri. The annual average is 71.

This is a growing story. Check back for updates.