Chaos reigns supreme as tornado barges through Jefferson City

Friday, May 24, 2019

The warning sirens of tornados had quietened and Larry Jett was dozing in his recliner when the piercing alerts began once again.

It was too late to scramble to the basement as the massive twister that tore through this city overnight descended on his family home. His mother, Bettie, flung herself onto the chair with him as the powerful storm sucked the recliner to the ceiling before dropping them all to the floor.

The tornado created a “chaotic situation” that left 20 people injured, scores of buildings damaged and some residents trapped in their homes, police Lt. David Williams told reporters from the damaged Cole County Sheriff’s Office building.

The Midwest has been hammered by scores of tornadoes and heavy storms in recent days, leaving at least seven dead and a trail of damage from the high winds and flooding. And forecasters warned of more severe weather through Friday.

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.

Williams said the twister cut through a three-mile swath of the city, where tornado sirens were first activated shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday. At 11:39 p.m., first responders had received the first report of confirmed property damage to a home. Ultimately, at least 20 people trapped in their homes were rescued, Williams said.

Images posted on social media showed the twister’s destruction, ripping through buildings and knocking down power lines.

As storms continue to batter central U.S., extreme heat will be the primary weather story in the Southeast for the next several days. Record high temperatures, some nearing 100 degrees, are possible in several states from Alabama to Virginia.

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