Initial reports suggest as many as 19 tornadoes hit Missouri over the weekend. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Office said the twisters left widespread destruction in 27 Missouri counties – killing at least 12 people and leaving one person missing.

Communities across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana were devastated by the deadliest and longest-running tornado ever recorded a century ago. Here's what happened.

Nine of the 12 fatalities reported during last week's severe weather outbreak occurred in Wayne and Ozark counties.

The weather cut a swathe of destruction across an area of the country that is home to more than 100 million people.