Several dead after tornado tears through Missouri

Multiple people have died and search and rescue efforts are under way after a tornado ripped through south-east Missouri overnight, authorities said.  

Officials told BBC News that local police and state highway patrol teams were assisting with rescue and recovery efforts in Bollinger County.

The exact number of fatalities is still unclear, authorities said. 

Much of south and central Missouri remains under a tornado watch until 11:00 local time (17:00 GMT).

Residents who emerged early on Wednesday morning to survey the damage found trees toppled on cars and and roofs ripped from homes.

The tornado touched down just before 04:00, officials told an affiliate of the BBC's US media partner, CBS.

One resident told local reporters he woke up just as the storm pressed down on his home and urged his family to quickly hide in the bathroom.

The destruction comes as a powerful storm system that has so far killed at least 30 people continues to batter the region, spawning dozens of tornados and severe thunderstorms.

A large swathe of the US - stretching from Texas to the Great Lakes region - remains under a tornado watch on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. There have been more than 80 reported tornadoes since 31 March, the weather service said.