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Southeast Missourian

Five killed, homes destroyed by tornado in Bollinger County

By Nathan English ~ Southeast Missourian
Thursday, April 6, 2023
From left, Emma Shipley, 9, Brooklyn Sitze, 11, Alivia Rohan, 14, and Alyssa Sitze, 12, hug one another as they mourn the loss of family members at a prayer vigil Wednesday, April 5, at Magnolia Park in Marble Hill, Missouri.
Megan Burke

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — A deadly tornado ripped through the Glen Allen and Grassy areas of Bollinger County early Wednesday morning, leaving five dead, five injured and more than a dozen homes destroyed.

It's the deadliest tornado in the state since 2011.

Gov. Mike Parson arrived in the area late Wednesday afternoon. He surveyed tornado damage from a helicopter because of a gas issue on the ground.

The governor and Col. Eric Olson of the state Highway Patrol spoke at a brief news conference just before 5 p.m. at Woodland High School, flanked by officials involved in relief efforts, as well as state Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder, who represents the area.

Olson said the twister touched down at 3:22 a.m. about 5 miles west of Marble Hill. It headed northeast.

Of the 133 homes surveyed during relief efforts, 87 were damaged and 12 were destroyed.

State troopers were on the scene less than half an hour after the tornado was spotted and began rescue and recovery efforts.

Woodland High School, about a mile east of the path of the tornado, has been the base of operations for emergency responders in the area. Scores of local residents and first responders moved throughout a Glen Allen neighborhood removing downed trees and other debris from homes and out of roadways.

A tree sits on a destroyed vehicle Wednesday, April 5, in Glen Allen, Missouri, after a tornado swept through the area. Five people were killed and more than a dozen homes destroyed in the early morning storm.
Nathan English

"It certainly is humbling to see how in our rural communities here in Missouri, that we all come together to work through these very difficult times," Olson said.

Sgt. Clark Parrott, public information officer for Highway Patrol Troop E, said more than 25 agencies responded to help with relief efforts.

The governor sent well wishes to the victims.

"The first thing, and foremost, is our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims that lost their lives. And, also with the victims that are in the hospital," Parson said at the beginning of his statements. "But, also, just people in general just lost their homes and lost their belongings and life goes on."

Parson thanked first responders who helped with relief efforts and echoed Olson's comments about rural Missouri.

"Small town Missouri, you'll find out that everybody will start coming together at a very early time to help one another out," Parson said.

The governor said he spoke to President Joe Biden on the phone while traveling to Southeast Missouri. Parson said Biden expressed that his thoughts were with those affected and offered to provide services to help the tornado victims.

State officials will begin analyzing the damage and determining what resources can be allocated to help the residents of Glen Allen and Grassy in the coming days. The governor said help may not be as easy to get to the rural areas because of the required damage cost thresholds for some of the aid.

The governor said state and local entities will work together to cover needs for those affected, such as rent and utilities. Some of the relief burden will fall to volunteers and local not-for-profits, Parson said.

"It's a long journey ahead for the people that live here," Parson said.

First Baptist Church in Marble Hill has been set up as a triage center by the American Red Cross for those affected by the storm. Hot meals will be served in that location.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley tweeted earlier in the day that he would be attending a prayer vigil at Magnolia Park in Marble Hill set for Wednesday evening.

There will be a meeting Thursday morning, April 6, at Woodland for those interested in volunteering in relief efforts. Law enforcement officials have urged "weather tourists" to stay away from the area and allow workers to clean up the damage.

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