At Least 9 Dead, 30+ Injured As Tornadoes Roll Through Midwest- 2012- Photo Link

By Susan Duclos

Towns in Illinois, Kansas and Branson, Missouri were destroyed as tornadoes rolled through leaving dozens injured and nine dead as of the last reports.

Via CSMonitor:

A powerful storm system that produced multiple reports of tornadoes lashed the Midwest early Wednesday, roughing up the entertainment resort town of Branson and laying waste to small towns in Illinois and Kansas. At least nine people were killed.

An apparent twister rolled through Branson just before 1 a.m. and seemed to hopscotch up the city's main roadway, ripping roofs off hotels and damaging some of the city's famed music theaters dangerously close to the start of the heavy tourism season. At least 37 people were reported hurt, mostly with cuts and bruises.

"We were blessed with several things — the time of year and certainly the time of day, when people were not in their vehicles or outdoors," said Mayor Raeanne Presley, noting that during Branson's peak season, up to 60,000 visitors would have been in the city on any given day and staying in many of the hotels that were damaged.

CJOnline reports the death toll is at 10.

Gallery: Aerial photos of tornado damage in the Midwest

Track Map found HERE.

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