The quiet rural area of Kirksville, Missouri was ripped apart Wednesday evening by four tornadoes that destroyed and damaged homes and claimed the lives of three people. The first of the series of tornadoes was reported at 5:49pm local time near this town 120 miles northeast of Kansas City.
Adair County bore the brunt of the line of severe storms as they moved northeast across the nation’s midsection. Two twisters were reported near Novinger, one near Troy Mills and the most damaging one in Kirksville. The Kirksville tornado destroyed at least one house and damaged 30 – 40 others as well as a car dealership.
Two victims were killed in Adair County according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. No details on the circumstances or their names have been released other than to say they were tornado related. One woman was killed in neighboring Sullivan County when a tornado struck her mobile home.