The storm that swept across Missouri on the evening of March 14th and March 15th left a wide swath of destruction behind, especially in Wayne and Butler counties.
With winds and tornadoes hitting homes and businesses, local officials and residents are now focused on the task of recovery.
Wayne County was one of the hardest hit areas. The storm, which brought multiple tornadoes, tragically resulted in six fatalities in Wayne County alone. The scale of the devastation has made logistics a challenge, as officials try to reach all of the impacted areas.
Brian Polk, the Wayne County Presiding Commissioner, said “We had four tornadoes basically on the ground at the same time in Wayne County. It stretched from the extreme northwest corner to the extreme southeast corner, and two in between.” He continued, “That's been our biggest issue—just logistics. Our damaged areas are so spread out."
Despite the damage, Polk emphasized that recovery efforts are well underway. “All our roads are open and passable at this time."
While several roads were temporarily closed due to debris and damage, Polk reassured residents that essential routes had been cleared for emergency response teams.
Power outages covered nearly the entire county, and it took some time for power to be restored to the affected areas.
However, Polk says to be careful, as power lines remain down in several areas, posing a safety risk for residents. “We ask people to be safe. As the power is coming back on, there are places where power lines are down. And they may not have been turned on yesterday, but they might be turned on today. And people might not realize that,” says Polk.
In Butler County, an emergency shelter has been set up at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff for those displaced by the storm. The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) continues to coordinate with local authorities to support affected communities. With up to 19 tornadoes reported across 25 counties, the recovery effort is a monumental task for state and local teams. Butler County, like Wayne, is in the midst of its cleanup phase.
For those displaced in Wayne County, local organizations have stepped up to offer temporary shelter and assistance. The Tabernacle Baptist Church in Piedmont has become a hub for distributing food, clothing, and other essentials to those in need. Volunteers, such as groups like Samaritan's Purse, have been involved in recovery efforts, helping clear debris and assisting residents with cleanup.
“The best advice that I could give everyone is the Samaritan's Purse Organization. They are in our area, and they are coordinating some cleanup and other things like that,” Polk said.
He encouraged anyone in need to reach out to them at 833-747-1234, emphasizing that anyone needing help, whether for cleanup or housing, should contact Samaritan's Purse for assistance.
Later this week, Multi-Agency Resource Centers across the state are providing recovery resources to assist disaster survivors.
Tuesday, March 25
Rolla
Missouri S&T Recreation Center
705 W. 10th St.
Rolla, MO 65409
12 – 7 p.m.
Hartville
Little Creek Baptist Church
7191 Alva Rd.
Hartville, MO 65667
12 – 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26
Rolla
Missouri S&T Recreation Center
705 W. 10th St.
Rolla, MO 65409
12 – 7 p.m.
West Plains
West Plains Civic Center
110 St. Louis St.
West Plains, MO 65775
12 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 27
Poplar Bluff
Black River Coliseum
301 S. 5th St.
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
12 – 7 p.m.
Van Buren
Van Buren Community Center
1204 D Highway
Van Buren, MO 63937
12 – 7 p.m.
Friday, March 28
Poplar Bluff
Black River Coliseum
301 S. 5th St.
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
12 – 7 p.m.
Doniphan
Caring Community Partnership
209 W. Highway St.
Doniphan, MO 63939
12 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 29
Perryville
Park Center
800 City Park Dr.
Perryville, MO 63775
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Piedmont
Clearwater R-1 High School
200 Henry White Blvd
Piedmont, MO 63957
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, March 30
Pacific
Pacific Eagles Hall
707 W. Congress St.
Pacific, MO 63069
1 – 7 p.m.
Piedmont
Clearwater R-1 High School
200 Henry White Blvd
Piedmont, MO 63957
1 – 6 p.m.
Agencies at the MARCs can only assist individuals and families, not businesses.
Individuals are asked to bring photo identification showing their address and proof of residence to be eligible for assistance from some agencies.
If identification has been lost due to damage, representatives at the MARCs can assist residents with information on how to replace IDs and other important paperwork.
If a major federal disaster declaration is approved for Individual Assistance, individuals who do not qualify for MARC assistance may still qualify for federal assistance.
