Tornadoes and winds kill at least 32 people

Destruction from a severe storm is seen in Wayne County, Missouri. Picture: Jeff Roberson/AP

Violent tornadoes and high winds flattened homes, wiped out schools and toppled trailers as a storm that killed at least 32 people ripped its way across the central and southern US.

Scattered twisters killed at least a dozen people in Missouri, authorities said.