Severe storms, tornadoes strike Missouri and Illinois

Severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes lashed Missouri and Illinois roughly along the Route 66 corridor on Friday.

Developments are coming fast, so here’s the important stuff so far:

• A tornado touched down in Fort Leonard Wood near Waynesville, Mo., injuring at least three and prompting a temporary closure of the military base.
• A state of emergency has been declared in Missouri by the governor.
• Three people in Missouri are reported dead in the storms.
• Sunset Hills, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, saw extensive damage and flattened homes along the Lindbergh Boulevard corridor (aka Route 66).
• One woman and 25 homes were damaged north of Rolla, Mo.
• The News-Leader in Springfield, Mo., has video of what looks like a tornado near Rolla.
• A tornado reportedly touched down in Petersburg, Ill., north of Springfield.

UPDATE 1/1/2011: Here are some next-day updates:

• The Pulaski County Daily reports that 159 homes were damaged or destroyed by tornadoes in the Fort Leonard Wood area. Four were hurt.
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch posted a gallery of images from the storms.