Violent Storms Wreak Havoc in Missouri, Arkansas

At least two reported tornadoes have damaged dozens of homes in Missouri and Arkansas, leaving at least three people injured. In a suburb of St. Louis, some 24 homes were damaged as a storm tore roofs off buildings, CNN reports. Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency; he'll tour the damage today. The exact status of the storms was unclear: "We won't be able to confirm whether it was a tornado until teams get out there" today, said a weather official.

In one Arkansas county, a storm wrought havoc on at least 33 homes and destroyed parts of a church. Another county saw 15 homes damaged. Elsewhere, tens of thousands lost power in South Dakota and thousands suffered blackouts in an icy Minnesota. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton summoned the National Guard ahead of more inclement weather expected today, the AP reports. "With the generation that we have available, we are conducting rolling blackouts through the community," said an official in a town depending on diesel generators. (More tornado stories.)