Tornado damage across US midwest – in pictures

Remains of homes after a large tornado hit the town of Joplin Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA

Anita Stokes salvages meat from a freezer at her home, destroyed by the tornado in Joplin Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

Members of the Neodesha fire department look towards the sky as St John's regional medical centre Photograph: Mike Stone/Reuters

A man salvages a guitar from a severely damaged home in Joplin Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

Rescue workers search for bodies and survivors inside St John's hospital in Joplin Photograph: Wisneski Tulsa World/AP

Tornado damage to residences in north Minneapolis Photograph: David Brewster/AP

Emergency personnel walk through a neighbourhood severely damaged by a tornado in Joplin, Missouri Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Chue Vang reacts after coming home to discover that her home was damaged after the tornado struck northern Minneapolis Photograph: Jerry Holt/AP

Minneapolis city crews work to repair damage after the tornado struck Photograph: Craig Lassig/AP

A helicopter hit by the tornado lies on its side in the parking lot of the Joplin, Missouri Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Residents in Joplin help a woman who survived in her basement after a tornado hit the town Photograph: Mike Gullett/AP

People stand near damaged vehicles along Rangeline road in Joplin, Missouri Photograph: Reuters

A man carries a young girl who was rescued after being trapped with her mother in their home in Joplin Photograph: Mike Gullett/AP

A man stands amid the remains of a Wal-Mart store, in Joplin, Missouri Photograph: Reuters

A damaged car in the parking lot of St John's regional medical centre Photograph: Ed Zurga/Reuters

An emergency worker searches a Wal-Mart store in Joplin Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

Emergency workers wait for a medical team after finding a body in a crushed car in Joplin Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

A body is seen in a tornado-ravaged car while emergency workers wait for a medical team to arrive in Joplin Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

Storm clouds dwarf a farm near Lamar, Missouri Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP