McCracken church destroyed; Missouri, Tennessee fatalities in wave of strong storms

Numerous funnel clouds and several preliminary reports of tornadoes were part of a very stormy Wednesday evening in Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky.

Many locations with trees and power lines down will make driving difficult and hazardous. Police urge people to stay off the roads tonight while county road crews and utility workers clear the scenes. After daylight Thursday, the National Weather Service can start to survey storm damage to confirm and track tornadoes.

One person was confirmed dead after a tornado reportedly touched down near Advance, Missouri. One home was destroyed and another person was injured. Another severe weather fatality was reported in Obion County, Tennessee.

In McCracken County, an apparent tornado destroyed Christ Community Church on Old Hinkleville Road just south of Barkley Regional Airport. 

Multiple structures were damaged in the Gage community in Ballard County. Multiple snapped power poles and trees. 4 people were said to be injured, 1 critical condition. One-inch hail was also reported in Ballard County.

A tornado was reported on the ground southeast of Bardwell. Grain bins were damaged, a building was damaged, barge tops blown into trees.

Significant tornado damage was reported along the south side of Cape Girardeau.


Dozens of other reports came in to the National Weather Service, including:

At 6:48 a tornado was reported in Butler County, Missouri with roof damage and power poles down.

At 7:20 a funnel cloud was reported in Gallatin County, Illinois.

At 7:36 a possible tornado was reported west of Buncombe in Johnson County, Illinois

At 7:40 a funnel cloud was reported in Edwards County, Illinois

At 7:51 a metal building was destroyed in Scott County, Missouri

At 7:56, a wall cloud and funnel cloud was reported near the Simpson community of Johnson County in southern Illinois

At 8:10, a funnel cloud was reported just northeast of Mayfield.

At 8:39 a tornado was reported 4 miles west of Reidland.

At 8:50 a car was reported to be overturned by a tornado in Massac County 3 miles east of Brookport. No injuries were reported.

At 9:05 a tornado was sighted northwest of Eddyville, KY

At 9:29 a tornado was said to be on the ground southwest of Murray.

The severe storms and damaging winds moved through the area by 10 p.m., but rain continued. Flash flood warnings remained in effect through the night in Livingston, Marshall, Calloway, Crittenden, Lyon and Trigg counties in Kentucky, and Pope and Hardin counties in southern Illinois.

Much more rain, and possibly more severe weather is still forecast for the region through Saturday.


PHOTOS - Chris Wooley via Beau Dodson Ballard County Emergency Management