Rescue workers today searched for victims of fierce storms that ripped through several Midwestern states over the weekend, killing at least 89 people in Joplin, Mo., where a massive tornado touched down.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Sunday evening and activated the Missouri National Guard in response to the destruction the storm left in its wake.
In Joplin, St. John's Regional Medical Center was fully evacuated after it took a direct hit from the tornado -- every window in the facility was blown out and the roof was torn off. Seven people have been reported dead at a local nursing home, according to police reports. In the city of about 50,000 people 160 miles south of Kansas City, the tornado was reported to be one mile wide, while winds of nearly 200 miles per hour ravaged the area.
Authorities estimate 25 to 30 percent of Joplin has been damaged by the tornado, with highly populated areas having been hit by the storm.
Cries could be heard early Monday morning from people trapped below the wreckage, while crews have been pulling out bodies and lining them up in the streets for loved ones to identify, according to ABC News affiliate KODE.
State and local law enforcement agencies, including fire mutual aid, are coordinating search and rescue and recovery operations. The Missouri State Highway Patrol sent troopers from other regions to help local officers in southern Missouri deal with the destruction, the governor's office said in a statement."These storms have caused extensive damage across Missouri, and they continue to pose significant risk to lives and property," Nixon said. "As a state, we are deploying every agency and resource available to keep Missouri families safe, search for the missing, provide emergency medical care, and begin to recover."There is now fear of gas explosions in the storm's aftermath, and authorities are telling people not to light any cigarettes because so many gas pipes are broken, they are afraid that what's left of Joplin is going to go up in flames, KODE reports.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VII set up a response coordination center and sent a liason team to the Missouri state emergency communications center, according to a FEMA official.
"Basically it's an all-out effort to get all of the most important resources available for this type of situation down as soon as possible," a state emergency management spokesperson said.
In total 70 tornadoes were produced by the storm system since Friday, including at least 47 tornadoes on Sunday. Tornadoes were reported in seven states from the Canadian border to Oklahoma. Warnings and watches were posted from Texas to Michigan.
President Obama released a statement on the emergency late Sunday night.
"Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in the tornadoes and severe weather that struck Joplin, Missouri as well as communities across the Midwest today. We commend the heroic efforts by those who have responded and who are working to help their friends and neighbors at this very difficult time," Obama said in the statement.
"At my direction, FEMA is working with the affected areas' state and local officials to support response and recovery efforts, and the federal government stands ready to help our fellow Americans as needed," he added.
Earlier Sunday, tornadoes had torn across other parts of the region, killing at least one person in Minneapolis.
Midwest residents were cleaning up Sunday after several tornadoes Saturday left one man dead and one Kansas town nearly destroyed.
At least 20 tornadoes were reported across three states Saturday: 14 in Kansas, 5 in Oklahoma, and 1 in Missouri.
In the small town of Reading, Kan., twisters ripped through the area and left more than 20 homes destroyed and 200 more damaged.
"Lots of damage all over town, the farther south in town the more damage there is. Lots of trees down, large trees, there's buildings that have been totally devastated," said Coffee County Emergency Coordinator Russel Stukey.
We've been fortunate so far to not have as much damage as we have seen in the past, such as the year 2007 when the town of Greensburg was basically destroyed, a town of 1,500," Watson said."Everything is destroyed. We're going to have to stay strong for the community," said one resident told Kansas City ABC News affiliate KMBC.One fatality and several injuries were reported in connection with the twisters, according to authorities.
Power was knocked out Saturday and roads in and out of area were closed, KMBC reported.
According to Sharon Watson with the Kansas State Division of Emergency Management, there was also hail as large as a baseball reported throughout northeast part of the state.
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared a state of emergency for at least 16 counties.
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