Jefferson City, the capital city of Missouri, has taken a direct hit from a tornado and suffered possibly “catastrophic” damage, according to reports. According to the National Weather Service, a “confirmed large and destructive tornado” was observed over Jefferson City, at 11:43 p.m., moving northeast at 40 mph. The twister appeared to have traveled through the center part of town, the Jefferson City News-Tribune reported. Jefferson City police Lt. Dave Williams told the Associated Press that only about five to 10 homes were in the mandatory evacuation area. Jefferson City lies near the center of the state, about 158 miles east of Kansas City and about 132 miles west of St. Louis.

Source: Fox News May 23, 2019 05:49 UTC