One killed when tornadoes hit Southern Missouri

CAULFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Tornadoes tore through sections of southern Missouri early Thursday, killing a 7-year-old child, destroying a gas station and damaging several mobile homes and houses.

Sgt. Marty Elmore of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said the child was believed to be a girl. Elmore also said there were unconfirmed reports that others in the Caulfield area were missing.

A tornado also touched down near an elementary school in Caulfield, but the building was not damaged, said Mike Wade, a dispatcher at the Howell County sheriff's office. Trees and power lines were also reported down.

The burst of tornadic activity was part of a larger line of thunder and snowstorms that stretched from Minnesota to Louisiana.

A tornado touched down late Wednesday in a field near Adrian, authorities said. Damage near the Bates County town appeared limited to a destroyed outbuilding and a barn that lost its tin roof.

A separate storm moved through Johnson and Pettis counties just east of Kansas City, threatening Whiteman Air Force Base near Knob Noster. But the Johnson County sheriff's department said it did not appear to sustain any damage.

The line of storms moved through eastern Kansas Wednesday night, packing several tornadoes, hail and heavy rain that caused property damage and injuries in several counties.

Linn County Sheriff Marvin Stites said a tornado touched down in rural part of the county, causing minor injuries, destroying at least two houses and ripping roofs and siding from several buildings. The storm also destroyed a power substation for a large portion of the county.