A massive tornado tore apart houses - leaving people trapped under debris - flipped lorries onto their roofs and left about 100 people injured as it made a direct hit on a US city.
The "violent" twister devastated Jefferson, Missouri - which lies in America's Tornado Alley - late at night while many people were asleep in their homes, leaving "catastrophic" damage in its wake.
Shocking video footage and photos reveal the aftermath of the disaster - roofs were torn off bungalows, large vehicles were flipped, huge trees were brought down and debris was scattered throughout neighbourhoods.
Three people were killed as the storm hit southwestern Missouri, and there were fears the death toll could climb as teams go through destroyed houses and forecasters assess the damage.
Two hospitals were treating about 100 people who were injured when the tornado tore through the centre of the state capital, which is home to 43,000 people.
The National Weather Service said the "violent" and "large and destructive" tornado hit around 11.45pm local time on Wednesday.
A tornado warning was issued for the Jefferson City area at 11.08pm and the first warning sirens went off minutes later.
The warning was upgraded to a tornado emergency at 11.43pm as the massive twister approached.
It hit a few moments later as forecasters urged people to seek shelter.
The National Weather Swervice tweeted: "Violent tornado confirmed - shelter now!"
Jim Sieveking, science and operations officer for the weather service’s St. Louis office, told NBC News: "It was a tornado, we saw the debris on the radar."
Mayor Carrie Tergin added: "The best word to describe the damage is 'devastating'."
Horrifying footage shows the twister tearing through the area - it is visible during lightning strikes that lit up the sky.
In the chaotic aftermath, the emergency services were going door-to-door at darkened homes to look for residents who may have been injured.
Residents were told to stay sheltered as crews cleared downed power lines and debris.
A local police station had also taken a hit and suffered damage.
Power had been knocked out by the catastrophic storm which hit as tornado warnings were issued for the area.
More than 20 tornado sightings had been reported, but it was unclear how many twisters or funnel clouds were in the storm, which also brought heavy rain and flash flooding.
One tornado passed north-east of Joplin exactly eight years after an F5 twister with winds of more than 200mph killed more than 150 people in that city.
Three deaths were announced after a suspected tornado hit Golden City, and injuries were also reported in Carl Junction.
The 2011 disaster was the deadliest tornado to hit the US since 1947 and the costliest, with damage amounting to $2.8bn.
The storm's devastating winds brought down trees and power lines, blocking roads and making it dangerous for crews trying to reach the disaster area.
Jefferson City Police Lt David Williams told reporters in the early hours of Thursday: "At this time, we are still trying to determine exactly how much damage we have.
"We are still working very hard to identify any injured people and any places that we need to put more additional personnel."
Missouri Governor Mike Parson wrote on Twitter after the storm hit: "Major tornados across state tonight, including Jeff City.
"We’re doing okay but praying for those that were caught in damage, some are still trapped - local emergency crews are on site and assisting."
State officials have requested disaster relief aid from President Donald Trump's government.
In the early hours of Thursday, tornado warnings were issued in the neighbouring state of Illinois as the deadly storm moved north-eastwards.
Tornado Alley states have been hit by a number of tornadoes or devastating storms this week.
An F2 tornado with winds of around 120-130mph in Adair, Iowa, killed at least one person on Wednesday.
Oklahoma has been hit hard by tornadoes and flooding, with the entire town of Webbers Falls evacuated due the rising Arkansas River.
