At least one dead after tornado roars through near Perryville, Mo.

A tornado left at least one person dead as it toppled cars and smashed buildings in and around Perryville, Mo., on Tuesday night.

Sgt. Al Nothum of the Missouri Highway Patrol confirmed that at least one person had been killed when the twister crossed Interstate 55, overturning several vehicles that were on the road and scattering others from a nearby junkyard onto the interstate.

The interstate was closed in both directions just north of Perryville for several hours because of the debris. Perryville is about 90 miles south of St. Louis.

Alan Huber pulled his 81-year-old mother, Patricia Huber, from the basement of her destroyed home. He said she told him "I'm OK," when he found her amid debris that included a toppled propane tank that had nearly hit her in the head.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/at-least-one-dead-after-tornado-roars-through-near-perryville/article_242683e0-1f95-5c20-b46a-2eb1a2fbd86b.html