Midwest storms kill at least one Sunday

Stormy spring weather activated tornado warning sirens and produced high winds that blew over a mobile home in Stoddard County, killing one of the people inside.

According to the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department, a 42-year-old Essex, Mo., man died from injuries he received in the accident. His 12-year-old son was transported to Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter with non-life threatening injuries.

The child's name has not been released.

The line of storms also produced golf-ball-sized hail Sunday evening in Cape Girardeau County.

Emergency Operation Center coordinator David Hitt said the county was placed under a tornado warning a little before 7 p.m., but there were no confirmed reports of tornadoes in the area.

"We had some reports of rotation in the clouds but almost all storm clouds have rotation," Hitt said.

A few tornadoes were reported in the area, including a touchdown in Gordonville. Hitt said another man reported spotting a funnel cloud in Jackson City Park. But neither sighting was confirmed, Hitt said.

Cape Girardeau County residents reported minor hail damage. Shingles were reported blown off a home in the Friedham area, Hitt said.

Police and firefighters in Cape Girardeau said activity in the city limits was relatively calm and had no reports of storm-related damage.

The National Weather Service in Paducah reported that a tornado touched down in Dunklin and Pemiscot counties. A tornado was spotted at approximately 6:50 p.m. just south of Kennett and traveled 40 mph east through the cities of Hayti and Caruthersville.

Kennett resident Bud Hunt said he saw the small funnel cloud moving south of town between Kennett and Senath. Several reports were received of trailers blown over near Kennett, said Hunt, publisher of the Daily Dunklin Democrat newspaper.

"It seems more serious damage was over the state line, down in Arkansas," Hunt said. "Within the city limits it's pretty calm."

Sunday evening, Kennett firefighter Marty Cato, said no injuries were reported.

"At this time we do not know of any kind of damage," Cato said. "I know there were a couple of tornadoes spotted, and we've got crews going out to survey the situation. It probably will be Monday till we can really give a better picture."

A spokesperson with the Sikeston Department of Safety reports there were no reported injuries or damage inside Sikeston city limits. There were no reports of a tornado touching down inside the city.

The Perry County Sheriff's Department also reported minor hail damage from the stormy weather.

High winds, hail and at least one tornado blew across Illinois on Sunday, damaging homes and businesses and knocking out electrical service to thousands.

A tornado touched down in Fairview Heights east of St. Louis, causing damage to at least two stores, according to a police department dispatcher. It is not immediately known if there were injuries. Police are canvassing the community to determine the extent of the damage, authorities said.

Calls to the Scott County Sheriff's Department were not returned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

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