Mobile home couple killed in US storm

Two people were killed when their mobile home was battered by a storm, US authorities said today.

High winds pummelled the victims’ trailer in rural Monroe County, 55 miles (88.5km) north of Columbia in north-western Missouri.

National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Truett said there were reports of a possible tornado, but they had not yet been confirmed.

The couple were inside when the storm struck, but their bodies were discovered about 400ft (122m) from where the mobile home was found, troopers said.

High winds in the area brought down trees, power lines and utility poles. Authorities said some of the falling trees left minor damage to homes in several counties.

“We had damage scattered around central and eastern Missouri and into south-western Illinois,” Mr Truett said.

In the St Louis area, nearly 10,000 customers of AmerenUE were without power from wind, lightning strikes and downed trees. The southern Illinois town Murphysboro had to shut down schools because classrooms lacked power.

Mr Truett said that in the Mid West, high winds were mixing with warm, spring-like weather on the ground. “That’s a real good set-up for severe weather,” he said.

Last night, a powerful storm brought heavy rain, high winds, hail and a possible tornado to Oklahoma. More than 30 people were injured and about 25 mobile homes and travel trailers damaged.

Some of the damage occurred when the storm moved through the Tulsa area at about 7.30pm and caused two tents to collapse at an Oktoberfest gathering, injuring at least 30 people.

Storm spotters in Kingfisher County, north-west of Oklahoma City, reported seeing a tornado touch down about 9.30am on Wednesday, Emergency Management Director Steve Loftis said. No damage was reported, he added. The weather service has not confirmed the tornado.