Tornado hits Poplar Bluff: Updates from throughout the night

UPDATE 2:20 a.m. Saturday

From Poplar Bluff Police Department: PLEASE STAY INSIDE. Multiple power lines down. We have every officer working. Our phone lines are not working properly. Please be patient.

DW/C1

UPDATE 2 a.m. Saturday

It’s been reported that the dorms at Three Rivers College were damaged but no students were hurt. Residents of the dorms were moved to another location for the night.

The Raiders game against the Triton College Trojans from suburban Chicago has been cancelled for March 15. They were expected to host the team at the Libla Family Sports Complex for the Midwest District championship and an automatic bid to the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.

UPDATE 1:30 a.m. Saturday

A shelter is open now at the Black River Coliseum, said Butler County EMA Director Robbie Myers.

UPDATE 1 a.m. Saturday

Ripley County Emergency Manager Brian Byrd said the southern portion of Ripley County received heavy blows from a tornado near Naylor. He confirmed most of the southern half of the county and Doniphan are without power. Byrd said there have been several injuries and most roads are blocked.

Witnesses also report this from the PP Highway area: It appears the gas station at 10Box sustained serious damage and there may be damage to the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center. The highway was strewn with debris and there were endless ambulances and police cars going in and out of the trailer park. A mangled carport had temporarily blocked the road before a resident with a tractor cleared it.

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Severe damage from a suspected tornado has been reported in Poplar Bluff. Residents are encouraged to avoid damaged areas and allow first responders to do their work. Reports of downed power lines create dangerous situations that could further hinder response efforts if people travel into impacted areas, they have said.

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The following information was collected by Daily American Republic staff members Joe McGraw, Samantha Tucker, Donna Farley and Barbara Ann Horton. This is an evolving story that will be updated as information becomes available.

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Emergency management agencies in Ripley and Butler counties are reporting people trapped in their homes and severe damage from what has been reported as separate confirmed tornadoes.

Butler County Emergency Management Agency Manager Robbie Myers confirmed several individuals were trapped by storm damage in the vicinity of County Road 450. He also said a church in Poplar Bluff was damaged.

Craig Meador of Poplar Bluff Severe Weather Storm Spotters said New Covenant Church was damaged and that Harmony Hills trailer park was completely destroyed with “many injured.”

He said PP Highway is littered with trailer debris. Bluff Estates on Sunset Hills was also hit.

Lyndell Coleman of the Municipal Utilities in Poplar Bluff said about 2,900 customers were without power.

He cautioned individuals to stay away from Bluff Estates, where downed power lines have been spotted.

City manager Robert Knodell said police and fire departments are assessing damage.

“Folks need to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary,” Knodell said.

There were additional reports of an 18-wheeler in the medium off Highway M and 67. According to reports it was jackknifed near the Heartland Express parking lot.

Another report of a possible tornado came in shortly before 12:30 a.m.

Daily American Republic staff were in the process of collecting additional information on storm damage as of midnight Friday.

Carter County EMA Director Curt Majors said, “We have several homes destroyed, people trapped in their homes. We’re cutting trees, trying to get everyone out safely.”

Butler and Carter officials hoped to have more information in the coming hours.

The storm systems moved through Ripley, Carter, Butler and Wayne Counties between approximately 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., moving into Stoddard County.

The following reports were collected by the National Weather Service:

11:11 - Law enforcement reported a funnel cloud 4 miles west of Oxly in Ripley County. (Preliminary local storm report)

10:16 p.m. - Carter County emergency management reports thunderstorm wind damage at Freemont. “Windows blown out of a house near Fremont. Possible tornado. Time estimated.” (Preliminary local storm report)

7:22 p.m. - Weather station recorded 44 mph winds at Chicopee in Carter County.

5:41 p.m. - Butler County emergency management reports wind damage 2 miles west southwest of Neelyville. “Power poles downed on County Road 270 west of Neelyville.”

3:53 p.m. Weather recording station reports 40 mph wind gusts 3 miles northeast of Doniphan in Ripley County.

3:33 p.m. - Weather recording station reports 52 mph wind gusts five miles west of Ash Hill in Butler County.