
An elderly couple were hurled 600ft from their home and another woman died in her mobile home when tornadoes ripped through Missouri, causing devastation throughout the state.

The Midwest storms killed another two people in Missouri earlier this week, as well as one death in Oklahoma and another in Iowa.

Kenneth Harris, 86, and his wife Opal, 83, were discovered hundreds of feet from their home in Golden City, while Betty Berg, 56, died when her tiny house was wrecked on Thursday.

Residents of the state capital around 150 miles away in Jefferson City were warned to barricade themselves inside as a 160mph twister tossed cars across a dealership lot, injuring about two dozen people.

Debris from houses ripped open by the ferocious 160mph winds of the twister is strewn across a residential street in the state capital Jefferson City, Missouri on Thursday

Buildings were totally gutted by the twister which tore through the city of around 42,000 just before midnight on Wednesday, as authorities warned residents to barricade themselves inside

Missouri Capitol was damaged after the tornado tore through Jefferson City on Thursday - scaffolding works covering parts of the building as it undergoes a renovation was damaged during a strong storm overnight

Cars, including heavy trucks, were tossed around in a Toyota dealership by the powerful winds of the EF-3 tornado which reached speeds of 160mph

Debris from a building which was torn down by the twister is strewn across a parking lot in Jefferson City - the tornado tore apart buildings in Missouri's capital city as part of an overnight outbreak of severe weather across the state

Carey Riley looks over damaged cars at a Toyota dealership he owns with his two brothers Thursday, May 23, 2019 after a tornado tore though Jefferson City, Missouri late Wednesday

The National Weather Service confirmed that a large and destructive twister moved over the city of around 42,000 shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

The tornado cut a path about 3 miles long and a mile wide from the south end of Jefferson City north toward the Missouri River, said police Lt. David Williams.

Emergency workers reported about two dozen injuries, Williams said, and around 100 of people went to shelters. Hospitals reported treating injuries such as cuts and bruises.

There were no immediate reports of any deaths or missing people in the capital and it appeared everyone was accounted for after door-to-door checks that were nearly complete Thursday evening, police Lt. David Williams said.

Many in Jefferson City considered themselves fortunate to survive.

Jefferson City, Missouri: A tornado tore apart buildings in Missouri's capital city as part of an overnight outbreak of severe weather

Carnage: A wrecked home in examined by emergency responders. The tornado that tore through Jefferson City overnight has been given a maximum rating of an EF-3, the National Weather Service says

A flipped-over semi truck rests in the parking lot of a motel Thursday, May 23 after a tornado tore though Jefferson City

Chase Burgoon stands in his front yard as water approaches in the Meadow Valley neighborhood of Sand Springs, Oklahoma on Thursday, May 23, 2019. Chase was getting items from the home

David Freeman makes his way through his front yard in Sperry, Oklahoma on Thursday, May 23, 2019

David Surprenant watched the storm approach then rushed to join his family in the basement. By then, the windows had started shattering and the pressure dropped.

'It was just the eeriest sound ever, and it felt like it was taking your breath right out of you,' Surprenant, 34, said. He and his family were unharmed.

Kevin Riley operates a car dealership next to Surprenant's home, where he sells Chevys and Toyotas. He figured that 98 percent of the approximately 750 vehicles on the lot were damaged.

Lincoln University President Jerald Woolfolk rode out the tornado in the basement of her official residence, and it may have saved her life. University spokeswoman Misty Young told the Jefferson City News-Tribune that the home, built 103 years ago, was so badly damaged it appeared to be uninhabitable.

Damaged homes near the intersection of Marshall Street and East Capitol Ave in Jefferson City, Missouri are pictured Thursday

Both cars and homes were destroyed in the devastating tornado that hit Jefferson City on Thursday night

Chaos: Flooded rivers in Oklahoma sparked two runaway barges - while dozens of homes were ruined by water

Friends and family of the owners of Campus Coworking move tables out of the co-working space on Capitol Ave in Jefferson City, Missouri on May 23

Damaged playground equipment at Community Christian Church in Jefferson City, Missouri, is pictured following the storm

Weather forecasters had been tracking the storm before it arrived, and sirens first sounded in Jefferson City at 11.10pm - about 30 minutes before the first property damage. Governor Mike Parson credited the warning system for saving lives.

President Donald Trump tweeted the Governor to say: 'Our hearts go out to the people of Missouri as they woke up to assess the damage from storms. You are strong and resilient, and we are here to assist.'

The National Weather Service said preliminary information indicates the tornado at Jefferson City was an EF-3, which typically carry winds up to 160 mph.

The severe weather moved in from Oklahoma, where rescuers struggled to pull people from high water. This week has seen several days of twisters and torrential rains in the Southern Plains and Midwest.

Kerry Ann Demetrius locked herself in the bathroom of her Jefferson City apartment as the storm approached.

A damaged car with a piece of wood smashed through the windscreen is seen parked on Woodlawn Avenue in Jefferson City Thursday

Jessica Rodgers and a neighbor Ray Arellana carry a stroller carrying Rodgers' sister Sophia Rodgers over downed power lines as they head to Rodgers' mother's apartment to check on damage Thursday, May 23, 2019 after a tornado tore though Jefferson City

Donald Trump pledged his support, alongside Governor Mike Parson, following the devastating floods plaguing the region

Vehicles damaged by a tornado sit in the parking lot of the Missouri Department of Social Services building on Flora Drive on Thursday morning

'It sounded like stuff was being thrown around, everything was just banging together, and then it just went dead silent,' she said. She emerged to find the roof had been blown off her apartment building.

Another natural disaster could be imminent in Jefferson City. Most of the city, including the tornado-ravaged section, sits on a bluff overlooking the south side of the Missouri River.

But the swollen river is projected to top a levee on the north side of the river by Friday, potentially flooding the city's airport, which already has been evacuated.

The Missouri Office of Administration said several state office buildings sustained damage, mostly roof damage.

Vehicles damaged by a tornado sit in the parking lot of the Missouri Department of Social Services building on Flora Drive on Thursday morning

This shocking drone footage has revealed the devastation caused by a monster tornado which ripped through Jefferson City in Missouri - leaving a massive trail of destruction. As the catastrophic weather conditions continue to plague the Midwest, flood warnings remain in effect for much of Oklahoma, with more than nine inches of rain fall since Sunday after an already extremely wet spring. The damage left behind by the twister is seen from above in Jefferson City on Thursday morning

Homes destroyed: A relentless barrage of violent weather in the central United States left three people dead. Houses were ripped apart with roofs torn away amid the devastating winds that struck Jefferson City in Missouri overnight Wednesday

Destruction: Buildings are seen torn open and belongings scattered across the road following the series of tornadoes which have battered the Heartland along with flash flooding ruining homes and livelihoods. The damage left behind by the twister is pictured above in Jefferson City on Thursday morning

This map shows the location and number of tornadoes to hit the Midwest in the past 48 hours. No deaths have been reported in Jefferson City, but the tornado was part of a multi-day severe weather outbreak in the Plains and Midwest that has killed at least eight people and caused extensive flooding

A tornado also skipped through the town of Eldon, population 4,900, about 30 miles outside Jefferson City, where it damaged the business district and 'tore up several neighborhoods,' Miller County Emergency Management Director Mike Rayhart said.

But Mayor Larry Henderson said people in Eldon were counting their blessings, despite all the damage, just one man was hurt, when the wind flipped his truck. Henderson did not have any details about the man's injuries.

A twister also caused damage and several injuries in the town of Carl Junction, not far from Joplin, on the eighth anniversary of the catastrophic tornado that killed 161 people in that city.

Police Chief Delmar Haase said nearly three dozen homes had significant damage and several people sustained minor injuries. He estimated total damage in Carl Junction was 'in the millions.'

Chaos: The aftermath of the destruction on a highway leading to Jefferson City taken on Thursday is shown from above

‹ Slide me › Before and after: A home in Jefferson City is totally destroyed following the powerful twisters on Wednesday night. The tornado here struck hours after a twister roared through the rural hamlet of Golden City, 170 southwest of here, killing three people. Amazingly, no fatalities were reported in Jefferson City, the state's capital and home to more than 40,000 people

A worker walks past tornado-damaged Toyotas at a dealership in Jefferson City, Mo., Thursday, May 23, 2019 after a tornado tore though late Wednesday

The National Weather Service says the EF-3 tornado that hit Carl Junction was among four tornadoes that hit that area of the state Wednesday night over a path of roughly 50 miles.

Meteorologist Mark Burchfield in Springfield, Missouri, said Thursday that the tornado that hit Carl Junction was on the ground for about nine miles. He said the deadly EF-3 tornado outside Golden City was on the ground for 12 miles.

The severe weather was expected to push eastward Thursday, with forecasters saying parts of the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic - including Baltimore and Pittsburgh - could see tornadoes, large hail and strong winds.

Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, in the past few days.

Jefferson City's damage spanned about a 3-mile area, said Police Lt. David Williams. About 20 people were rescued by emergency personnel, and although there were no reports of missing people, authorities planned door-to-door checks Thursday, he said

Jefferson City's damage spanned about a 3-mile area, said Police Lt. David Williams. About 20 people were rescued by emergency personnel, and although there were no reports of missing people, authorities planned door-to-door checks Thursday, he said. A home is pictured in ruins following the storms overnight

Floodwaters cover a stretch of road in the Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow Oklahoma

More destruction in Jefferson City, Missouri. This property had its roof ripped off by the tornado overnight on Wednesday

More destruction in Jefferson City, Missouri. This property had its roof ripped off by the tornado overnight on Wednesday

Two barges carrying a total of about 3,800 pounds of fertilizer broke loose Thursday and floated down the swollen Arkansas River in Oklahoma, spreading alarm downstream as they hit a dam and sank. On Facebook, Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, warned the town's 600 residents: 'If the dam breaks, it will be catastrophic!! Leave now!!'

The barges had been floating out of control, on and off again, since Wednesday night near the town of 600, which was under a mandatory evacuation order due to flooding concerns.

Aerial footage from the Oklahoma City television station KFOR showed the moment of impact shortly before noon Thursday. The Army Corps of Engineers was checking the dam for damage.

Williams spoke from the Cole County Sheriff's office, where debris including insulation, roofing shingles and metal pieces lay on the ground outside the front doors. Authorities discouraged people from beginning clean-up efforts until power is safely restored. Hospitals set up command centers if needed (Jefferson City on Thursday)

The weather service said it had received 22 reports of tornadoes by late Wednesday; some could be duplicate reporting of the same twister

Drone footage captures the wreckage of a building destroyed by a tornado in Jefferson City, Missouri on Wednesday night

The Army Corps of Engineers immediately inspected the dam and said only 'minimal' damage was found. However, the wrecked barges sank and are blocking three of the dam's 12 flood gates.

Near Tulsa, about a dozen homes were evacuated as the Arkansas River continued to swell. The potential for further flooding also prompted the HolleyFrontier Tulsa Refinery to temporarily shut down.

Officials in Tulsa said additional residents may be asked to evacuate as the Army Corps of Engineers increases the flow rate at a dam northwest of the city to help drain a watershed flooded by severe storms.

Missouri's three tornado fatalities bring to seven the number of deaths from storms this week.

New Toyotas are piled up at a dealership in Jefferson City, Missouri, Thursday, May 23, 2019 after a tornado tore though Jefferson City late Wednesday

Storm damage off Ellis Bvld in Jefferson City, Missouri, on Thursday, May 23, 2019

Damaged playground equipment at Community Christian Church in Jefferson City, Missouri, on Thursday, May 23

More devastation from Jefferson City in Missouri where a powerful tornado stuck overnight Wednesday, wreaking havoc

Storm: Heavy winds rips the roof from a building in Jefferson City, as drone footage captures the devastation on Thursday

Missouri Public Safety tweeted that more tornadoes and flash flooding were possible. Firefighters have begun rescue operations in the area, including at the apartment building. Missouri Task Force 1 was also activated

The severe weather was expected to continue Thursday as the storms head east. Forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center say parts of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic could see tornadoes, large hail and strong winds. Forecasters say the area most at risk for bad weather Thursday includes Baltimore and Pittsburgh (a house in Jefferson City, Missouri, stands in ruin)

The severe weather was expected to continue Thursday as the storms head east. Forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center say parts of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic could see tornadoes, large hail and strong winds. Forecasters say the area most at risk for bad weather Thursday includes Baltimore and Pittsburgh

Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. Authorities urged residents of several small towns in Oklahoma and Kansas to leave their homes as rivers and streams rose

A woman surveys damage Thursday, May 23, 2019 after a tornado tore though Jefferson City on Thursday morning

The severe weather was expected to continue Thursday as the storms head east. Forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center say parts of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic could see tornadoes, large hail and strong winds. Forecasters say the area most at risk for bad weather Thursday includes Baltimore and Pittsburgh

Two barges broke loose and floated swiftly down the swollen Arkansas River in eastern Oklahoma, spreading alarm downstream as they threatened to hit a dam

A National Weather Service meteorologist said: 'As of this morning, the main parts of the storms have pushed eastward, thank goodness,' leaving the region to deal with just another expected two inches of rain through Friday

The NWS said it had received 22 reports of tornadoes by late Wednesday evening, although some of those could be duplicate reporting of the same twister. One of the other tornadoes (pictured) skirted just a few miles north of Joplin, Missouri

This image posted on Twitter account of Stechshultsy shows tornado-hit Jefferson City. Missouri on Thursday

A wall is collapsed in Jefferson City, Missouri on Thursday. The U.S. National Weather Service says a 'violent tornado' has touched down in Jefferson City, Missouri, causing possible fatalities and heavy damage

Plastic chairs lie in the road and metal from a damaged gas station roof is twisted around a downed power line in Jefferson City Missouri Thursday. The catastrophic tornado has ripped through Missouri's capital, according to the National Weather Service. The 'violent tornado' was confirmed in Jefferson City around 11.47pm Wednesday night

These pictures posted by the Missouri State Highway patrol show damaged caused by a tornado in Jefferson City including a collapsed tree and an overturned vehicle

Damage is seen on a street after the tornado in Jefferson City which was described as a 'direct hit' on the state capital