Missouri tornado sweeps away trailer, kills 5

Bollinger County, Missouri (KTVI) – A tornado in Missouri left a mile-long trail of destruction that instantly claimed the lives of five people around 3 a.m. Wednesday.

A tearful relative stood in what was once a trailer in Bollinger County.

One man, who did not want to be identified, detailed finding five loved ones far from home.

Two of the victims were aged 18 and 15, he added.

Search and rescue operations continue in the area, which is currently inspected by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The house nearby is also gone, the roof has been tossed into the next lot, and the foundation is unknown.

“Seven neighbors, you don’t know where they are. Four of them are missing,” said storm survivor David McCormick.

On Wednesday afternoon, law enforcement confirmed five deaths, five injuries and damage to 87 buildings, 12 of which were completely destroyed.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott explained the difficulty of just navigating the road.

“Once the roads are cleared, we will continue to go door to door to make sure everyone in this county is accounted for,” Parrott said.

There aren’t even words to describe it. Storm survivor Shelby Davidson said:

Five large trees were uprooted in Davidson Street. Children’s bicycles were left in the yard surrounded by tree debris, and many power lines were cut.

Pointing to the rubble site, Davidson said, “This is her car and our house. It’s just total destruction.”

Some citizens hid in churches stripped of shingles and siding while exchanging survival stories.

“Then my fiancé was outside the bathtub with the mattress on it,” said one.

The damage was seen for miles along Route 34, where a group of search parties were checking for possible tornado victims as another storm approached. It started raining again, and with thunderbolts and loud clapping, many wondered what would happen next.

A broken gas line led to road closures and pops, followed by a small fire in the middle of the action.

The St. Louis County Search and Rescue team assisted in the 90-mile journey. St. Charles County Emergency Responder. Sikeston, Missouri introduced her commando mobile from 40 miles away.

“When something like this happens, we all come together,” said Parrott.

“The first responders were great,” McCormick said. “County, state, highway patrol. Just great.”