'Violent Tornado' In Jefferson City; 3 Dead In Golden City

At least three people were killed and several others injured as severe weather, including confirmed tornadoes, hit Missouri overnight, the state's department of public safety said.

Officials confirmed that there were three fatalities in the Golden City area of Barton County, near the Kansas border.The department of public safety said state troopers were assisting local first responders with door to door searches in the area.

According to KY3, the likely tornado near Golden City hit around 9:30 p.m. The city posted on Facebook that there was damage to trees and poles while more damage was reported to the nearby rural areas.

In Jefferson City, the state's capital, officials said there was "extensive damage," downed power lines and door-to-door searches were being conducted. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado in Jefferson City was reported around 11:47 p.m. on Wednesday.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said damage had been reported in Carl Junction, Golden City, Eldon, Miller County and in Jefferson City, where there was damage to state buildings. The building which houses the Department of Labor sustained roof damage.

All non-essential state employees in Jefferson City were asked to stay home on Thursday.

Parson said there were power outages in mid-Missouri and across other parts of the state.

At a press conference Thursday morning, Parson said at least 20 people were injured in Jefferson City.

A three square mile area in Jefferson City received the brunt of the damage, Lt. David Williams of the Jefferson City Police said at the press briefing. Williams said there will be law enforcement presence at certain intersections to control the area.

Cole County Sheriff John P. Wheeler said there was extensive damage to the Twin Bridges Trailer Park.

"Whenever you show up to a trailer park that's had that much damage you would assume there'd be a lot of injuries," Wheeler said. "There was none."

Other areas that were hit hard included Beck Road, Propst Road and Heritage Highway.

The National Weather Service said strong to severe thunderstorms are possible in the state through the afternoon and Thursday night. Government forecasters also said there's a stronger threat of thunderstorms on Friday.

The weather in Missouri overnight continued the days of severe weather across the central U.S.that has caused extensive damage and deaths. In Oklahoma, one of the storms worst hit by the storms, two unoccupied homes fell into the swollen Cimarron River on Wednesday. Homes across the northwest part of the state were evacuated. Severe weather also brought flooding conditions to Kansas and Iowa.

Across the central and southern plains, the NWS said the threat for severe storms with large hail, damaging wind and tornadoes and heavy rain threats will continue on Thursday. Intense thunderstorms are also forecast to form across the Texas panhandle. Parts of Oklahoma and Kansas are facing risks of hail and damaging winds. In Kansas, the NWS said there is also a risk for tornadoes and damaging winds, which could move into parts of northwest Missouri before weakening.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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