Inside the post-apocalyptic city ripped apart by devastating killer tornado

Dramatic photos capture the horrific devastation caused by a vicious tornado which tore through states in southwestern US.

The monster tornado killed three people this week and injured more than 100 others.

New pictures and video taken in Jefferson City, Missouri - the worst affected city - show lorries and cars flipped on their roofs, buildings demolished and huge trees uprooted.

The bodies of Kenneth Harris, 86, and his wife Opal, 83, were found 600ft (182m) from their home in Golden City, which is in the southwestern tip of the state.

And Betty Berg, 56, died after her mobile home was obliterated.

People remain in hospital and scores of others are in shelters, after irreparable damage to their homes.

An aerial picture shows swathes of debris from destroyed homes in Jefferson City, Missouri (REUTERS)

People desperately try to rescue items from a home after the devastating twister (REUTERS)

as it swept across the state and neighbouring Oklahoma on Thursday night and into Friday morning.

Many, many buildings have significant damage, and there's a lot of them that just have small damage as well, so it's just very widespread," Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin told CNN.

Mike Parsons, Missouri Governor, tweeted: "The damage tornadoes & severe storms cause is devastating, but I am encouraged & inspired by storm survivors. In a time of tragedy, Missourians came together and cared for their neighbours, and our first responders acted with speed & skill to rescue survivors."

The tornado smashed trees to the ground in the city (REUTERS)

Dramatic photographs capture the damage the horror tornado has caused (Getty Images)

And Donald Trump tweeted: "Our hearts go out to the people of Missouri as they woke up to assess the damage from storms. You are strong and resilient, and we are here to assist."

The tornado is the latest in a week of monster twisters which have plagued the US Midwest this week. Seven people died in total.

Residents in Jefferson City and nearby areas are still being warned to stay indoors.

Business premises have been ruined by the twister (Getty Images)

The historic Missouri State Capitol, built in 1917, has suffered damage (REUTERS)

"It looks to stay quite wet over the next week across the central portion of the country," said meteorologist Mark Chenard of the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

More than 43,000 live in the city, the state capital of Missouri.

Meanwhile, flooding has plagued Oklahoma as a result of the tornado and recent storms.