KANSAS CITY, Missouri. At least 82 tornadoes have now been confirmed in a devastating tornado outbreak that whipped across eastern Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee Sunday afternoon. Reports indicate at least 39 people were killed and several dozen others injured. The search for missing persons continues. Images from news helicopters showed significant damage to homes and businesses. Some towns are virtually wiped off the map.

Pierce City, a town of just 1,382 in southwestern Missouri was almost entirely leveled, according to witnesses.

The mayhem began when cold dry air from the Rocky Mountains in the western United States and moist warm air from the Gulf of Mexico collided in the the centre of the country. The perfect setup scenario for severe weather. The widest tornado was reported to have been 500 yards wide.