The National Weather Service confirms that a tornado made its way through Pilot Grove the morning of Wednesday, April 2, resulting in damage to dozens of buildings in the city and surrounding areas.

Meteorologist Melissa Kreller says a team from the weather service’s office in Pleasant Hill completed a preliminary assessment of the damage, hours after the EF-2 tornado touched down.

The twister touched down around 8:34 a.m. and was on the ground for about six minutes, lifting up near the 97 mile marker of Interstate 70. Kreller says the tornado was 200 yards at its widest. No fatalities have been reported as of Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities in Cooper County continue to discourage the public from traveling to Pilot Grove as cleanup continues. The Missouri Department of Transportation continues to have a section of Route 135 closed Thursday morning north of Pilot Grove, between Immele Road and Chouteau Springs Road, for storm cleanup and utility repairs. The Missouri State Parks system has closed the Katy Trail between mileage posts 201 and 204, including the Pilot Grove trailhead, because of damage along the trail.

Photo courtesy of the Missouri State Highway Patrol