Governor Mike Parson and state emergency leaders surveyed tornado damage in southeastern Missouri’s Glennallen community Wednesday. MIssouri Highway Patrol Superintendent Colonel Eric Olson says state and local agencies have set up a unified command center in Bollinger County. The deadly tornado hit at 3:22 a.m. Wednesday.
“There are five fatals, five fatals and five people have been injured as well. In addition to that, I know that there are these are preliminary numbers on the damage assessments or at least 87 structures that have been damaged and 12 of those totally destroyed,” Olson reported.
Governor Mike Parson spoke to media at a local high school after reviewing the damage sites.
“It’s gonna be weeks upon months to be able to recover. It’s a long journey ahead for the people that live here. I want to just want to thank all the state agencies that are here all the local agencies are here. And the one thing you’ll find out is I had a chance to talk to everybody and see some of the debris field is out there is how much people at a time like this will come together to work together to be able to do what’s best for the people of this state,” Parson said.
The governor added that the most important work is in the months ahead, when the cost of the damage is assessed.
Parson said President Joe Biden called him Wednesday morning: “He wanted to make sure that all the people here knew that he was thinking about them, he anything he could do to help. He offered those services and he wanted me especially thank all the emergency people that were on the ground doing their jobs here.”
The county sheriff said there were hundreds of state and local responders on site after the tornado hit.