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US weather: Tornadoes kill at least seven people | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
At least seven people have been killed in weather-related deaths as tornadoes sweep across the US Midwest, local officials say. | |
Three fatalities were confirmed on Thursday in Golden City, Missouri. | |
Another two were killed in the state earlier in the week, along with one in Oklahoma and another in Iowa. | |
A tornado also struck Missouri's state capital, Jefferson City, bringing heavy rain, hail, wind and lightning. | |
Earlier, the US National Weather Service issued a rare "high warning" for severe storms in the region. It said at least 29 tornadoes had been reported in the last 24 hours and more than 170 since Friday. | |
On Wednesday night, emergency sirens were activated in Jefferson City - home to around 43,000 people - and the storm was spotted 20 minutes later. | |
"When it hit... it felt like an earthquake," local resident Cindy Sandoval-Jakobsen told CNN. | |
No deaths have been reported in the city, but images on social media show buildings ripped apart, power lines downed and trees uprooted. Thousands are believed to be without electricity. | |
"It's a chaotic situation right now," Jefferson City Police Lt David Williams told reporters. "We need people who are not affected to stay out of those areas". | "It's a chaotic situation right now," Jefferson City Police Lt David Williams told reporters. "We need people who are not affected to stay out of those areas". |
Emergency officials have warned of flash flooding, and police in Tulsa, Oklahoma have advised residents living near Keystone Lake dam to begin evacuating. | |
The storms on Wednesday hit on the eighth anniversary of a tornado that killed 161 people in Joplin, a city in southeast Missouri. | |
More storms are expected to hit the Midwest on Thursday and Friday. | |
What do we know about the victims? | |
Are you in the area? If it is safe to do so please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the area? If it is safe to do so please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |