Weather Service investigates Southeast Missouri tornado reports

CHARLESTON, Mo. (AP) -- The National Weather Service said Wednesday that it cannot yet confirm if any tornadoes touched down in southeast Missouri during storms Tuesday.

The weather service said there were no reports of any fatalities from the storms in Missouri. Four teams were being sent out to look into possible damage, said science and operations officer Pat Spoden in Paducah, Ky.

"At this time, we're now sifting through the reports," he said. He said it was unclear how many tornadoes might have been spotted, after two or three rounds of storms in the affected areas.

Residents and officials reported seeing at least two tornadoes Tuesday in southeast Missouri, one in East Prairie and another in New Madrid, Mississippi County sheriff's dispatcher Diane Kelly said.

Both tornadoes were headed east. Witnesses said one touched down in New Madrid County and headed toward neighboring Mississippi County. The tornado in East Prairie moved east across the Mississippi River into Cairo, Ill.

East Prairie has a population of about 3,700 people, while the town of New Madrid has about 3,300 people.

Kelly said a sheriff's deputy also spotted tornado-like rotations, high winds and quarter-size hail near the town of Wyatt in Mississippi County.