Strong storms sweep across the area

Clouds fill the vacancy the roof once occupied above a unit in the Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

Students of Notre Dame Regional High School move furniture from the school's top level to the cafetorium Wednesday, April 20, 2011. The school received "tremendous damage" according to development director Tony Buehrle. The rubberized coating on a third of the roof rolled up causing rain from last night's storms to flood the upper level, kitchen, and music room in the west wing of the building. All faculty, 100 students and clean up crews are working on the mass clean up and repairs today. (Laura Simon)

Faculty and students of Notre Dame Regional High School pack up the dance studio in the upper level of the school Wednesday, April 20, 2011. The school received "tremendous damage" according to development director Tony Buehrle. The rubberized coating on a third of the roof rolled up causing rain from last night's storms to flood the upper level, kitchen, and music room in the west wing of the building. All faculty, 100 students and clean up crews are working on the mass clean up and repairs today. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Oran Fire Department clear debris from a fallen tree near Main Street in Oran Tuesday, April 19, 2011 after a strong line of storms moved through the area Tuesday night. (Laura Simon)

Tammy R. Elders of Scott City, Mo. submitted this photo of a tree that fell on her house Tuesday, April 19, 2011 as a line of strong storms passed through the area.

A demolished trailer sits alongside Route E one mile west of Interstate 55 toward Oak Ridge Tuesday, April 19, 2011. (Fred Lynch)

Southeast Missourian advertising representative Paul Walker shot this photo on Scotts Lane in Cape Girardeau Tuesday night after a powerful line of storms moved through the city.

Lightning illuminates storm clouds along Missouri 25 near Dutchtown Tuesday, April 19, 2011. (Laura Simon)

A view east from South Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau shows lightning as it streaks across the night sky Tuesday, April 19, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Storm damage along Highway Y near Castor River taken by Allen Morris.

Storm damage along Highway Y near Castor River taken by Allen Morris.

Tuesday night's storms in Cape Girardeau knocked down this tree branch, which fell where my car normally would be parked. (Heather Collier)

This pine tree was uprooted during Tuesday's storms, taking out a section of chain-link fence. A small shrub directly in front of it snapped at the base. (Heather Collier)

Hilltop Apartments manager Lou Vigano greets the complex's "mamma" cat Fanny outside the apartment complex in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011 after she had been missing since Tuesday night's storms. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

Debris is scattered throughout the field behind Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

A downed tree lays in the driveway of Donald G. and Mildred Hoehn's Perryville, Mo. home Wednesday, April 20, 2011. A strong line of storms passed through the area Tuesday night, snapping this tree from it's trunk and then landing on the Hoehn's Buick Lucerne CXL. (Laura Simon)

John French inspects the destruction from Tuesday's storms that tore the roof from the Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

Repairmen attach a tarp to the roof of the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission building in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Heavy winds from a line of strong storms Tuesday night blue the roof into the parking lot across the street. (Laura Simon)

John French speaks on his cell phone while checking the destruction from Tuesday's storms that tore the roof from the Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

Doris Erlacker cleans up the debris in her yard Wednesday, April 20, 2011 in Perryville. Erlacker and her husband had been working on the clean up since early morning which including large downed limbs and putting a tarp on their roof where shingles had blown off. (Laura Simon)

A sign on the entrance to the Hilltop Apartments in Perryville warns visitor's not to enter. (Laura Simon)

A cloudy sky peers through a unit in the Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

A repair crew works to stabilize the Buchheit's/Chester National Bank sign Wednesday, April 20, 2011 in Perryville. (Laura Simon)

Joe Bennett removes the screws from the roof of the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Regional Development Commission in Perryville Wednesday, April 20, 2011. High winds during Tuesday night's storms blew the roof from the building shown in the background. (Laura Simon)

Debris is scattered throughout the field behind Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

Staff members of Notre Dame Regional High School speak with repairmen on the roof of the school Wednesday, April 20, 2011. The school received "tremendous damage" according to development director Tony Buehrle. The rubberized coating on a third of the roof rolled up causing rain from last night's storms to flood the upper level, kitchen, and music room in the west wing of the building. All faculty, 100 students and clean up crews are working on the mass clean up and repairs today. (Laura Simon)

The Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

Repairs at Perryville High School continue Wednesday, April 20, 2011 after strong winds blew out the windows of the counselor's office during Tuesday night's storms. (Laura Simon)

Debris is scattered throughout the field behind Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

A large pine tree lays on it's side in front of Perryville High School Wednesday, April 20, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Students of Notre Dame Regional High School move boxes of props from the school's top level to the cafetorium Wednesday, April 20, 2011. The school received "tremendous damage" according to development director Tony Buehrle. The rubberized coating on a third of the roof rolled up causing rain from last night's storms to flood the upper level, kitchen, and music room in the west wing of the building. All faculty, 100 students and clean up crews are working on the mass clean up and repairs today. (Laura Simon)

A large limb lays in front of Perryville High School Wednesday, April 20, 2011. (Laura Simon)

A cloudy sky peers through a unit in the Hilltop Apartments in Perryville, Mo. Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Strong winds peeled the roof from the 27 unit apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night, as a strong line of storms passed over the area. (Laura Simon)

A downed tree lays in the driveway of Donald G. and Mildred Hoehn's Perryville, Mo. home Wednesday, April 20, 2011. A strong line of storms passed through the area Tuesday night, causing this tree to land on the Hoehn's Buick Lucerne CXL. (Laura Simon)