Tornado touches down in rural Wright County

A tornado featuring winds around 60-70 m.p.h. touched down on Friday, March 14 in Wright County, resulting in damage to properties in rural Hartville.
At 7:22 p.m., Lt. Kristi Akers, of the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, took a photo from her vehicle that showed a tornado making contact.
Wright County Sheriff Sonny Byerley said a lot of the damage occurred in the area of Highway F near the Webster County line in rural Hartville. There was also damage along Highway 38 and through Odin towards Highway 5.
He noted that several 200-year-old trees were laying across the road everywhere as the storm impacted Wright County.
Debris from structures like garages, barns and more could also be seen in some of the rural area. There were also some reports of hail breaking windows on some vehicle and homes.
Sheriff Byerley said one of the newest deputy vehicle suffered damage from the storm. He was grateful that the rest of the fleet did not take on a lot of damage in spite of deputies driving in the storm as it hit the area.
While Sheriff Byerley reported no serious injuries in Wright County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol says there were up to a total of 19 tornadoes with varying strengths that impacted 25 Missouri counties.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office reported 12 confirmed fatalities 101 roads closed due to debris, and at one point, 140,000 homes and businesses were without power.Laclede Electric, at one time, reported 2,900 being without power.
Bakersfield was hit by the storm near the Howell and Ozark County line at around 8:30 p.m., as three deaths were reported in Ozark County.
Nearby Seymour and Rolla were also impacted with damage from the storm.
The storm made an even longer day for area first responders who were fighting multiple fire outbreaks earlier on Friday unrelated to the storms.
“My deepest gratitude to everyone who stepped up in the aftermath of last night’s tornado,” Sheriff Byerley said in a public comment after Friday night’s storms impacted the county.
“Despite the multiple fire outbreaks yesterday afternoon, the Hartville Fire, Grovespring Fire, Rural Fire and countless first responders worked tirelessly, without hesitation or complaint, through the night, into the early morning hours and throughout today. Their dedication in clearing downed trees, removing debris from roads, fence lines and yards has been nothing short of remarkable. A special thank you to Laclede Electric for their hard work in cleaning up downed power lines and getting power restored so quickly and to MoDOT for their fast response in helping to make the roads safe again. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed, and we are truly grateful. Once again, I’ve witnessed the Hartville community come together as one, offering unwavering support to friends and neighbors in need. Your kindness and resilience are truly inspiring. My prayers and condolences go out to those who have suffered loss and devastation. Please know you are not alone. We stand together, always.”
Convoy of Hope did set up a Wright County Emergency Management staging at nearby Rosewood Farms on Highway 5. Tarps, clean-up contractor bags, heavy duty totes and water were made available to those in need.
Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office says residents who have experienced damage to their homes, cars and property should contact their insurance company and document damage with photographs. His office is encouraging Missourians with unmet needs to contact the United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.