Janice R. Andrews
Several states in the central United States have seen severe damage due to a string of intense tornadoes. An EF-4 tornado that struck Barnsdall, Oklahoma, destroyed 30–40 homes, leaking natural gas, and at least one person died. On Monday night, the storm arrived out of nowhere, causing extensive damage and closing roads.
An EF-1 tornado struck the Iowan town of Minden, causing damage to houses and power lines. Severe weather also hit Kansas; reports of hail the size of softballs were made in several regions. Numerous reports of storm damage, including overturned cars, felled trees, and broken power lines near Kansas City and other areas, indicate that Missouri was severely affected.
In all affected locations, emergency services are actively engaged in damage assessments and rescue efforts.
