Powerful storms cause damage in southwest Mo.

BUFFALO, Mo. -- Powerful winds from a severe thunderstorm flattened an antique store and gutted a neighboring gas station in this Dallas County town Monday, but only three people suffered minor injuries.

Authorities cordoned off a half-mile long section of U.S. 65 while they cleared debris from the two buildings and removed downed power lines and bits and pieces blown from nearby roofs and trees.

Mayor Jerry Hardesty said three people were treated for minor injuries after the powerful storm -- part of a wave of rough weather that hit southwest Missouri -- raked the county seat about 35 miles north of Springfield.

Several houses and businesses suffered varying degrees of roof damage in a multi-block area on the west side of town.

County emergency management director Terry Lane said there were no reports of anybody spotting a tornado. Instead, he said the damage may have been caused by a sudden "downburst" from the thunderstorm.

"There was no warning. We had nothing on radar" to indicate a funnel cloud, Lane said.

Lane said National Weather Service experts were due in town today to determine whether the damage came from a tornado or high winds.

In Neosho, strong winds from a thunderstorm caused a convenience store to collapse and damaged many other buildings.

Newton County emergency manager Gary Roark said no injuries have been reported.

A Public Pantry convenience store on the northwest side of town collapsed. Also, the storm caused quite a bit of damage to other buildings along a narrow track through town, with roofs ripped up, windows blown out and trees and power lines downed.

Elsewhere in southwest Missouri, emergency officials said a tornado touched down briefly in rural Lawrence County. It damaged a large barn and some utility poles south of Miller.