Joplin, MO Hit By Major Tornado

Today's a very bad day for tornadoes. Minneapolis was hit earlier and now images are coming in from Joplin, MO that look like widespread F-4 to F-5 damage. A major area hospital (I believe it's St. John's Medical Center) was hit hard and has lost all electricity, including their back-up generator. The Weather Channel has a team on the ground in Joplin. They were out chasing today and it looks like they found one.

The Weather Channel is livestreaming from Joplin here.

UPDATE:  There are now concerns about the potential for an explosion at the hospital.  Hospitals have large stores of liquid oxygen which are used to feed their patient oxygen systems.  If that stuff heats up the potential for catastrophic explosion is significant.  From the video at the scene there is a gas venting in large quantities to the rear of the hospital.  That could be coming from the liquid oxygen system.

Another story and video from KCTV in Kansas City here.

Some video of the damage is now in:


From what I'm seeing of the damage around St. John's Regional Medical Center, this tornado will be rated EF-4 at least, and given that some homes were swept completely off their foundations, EF-5 is possible.
UPDATE:  First reports say 24 dead in Joplin.  Looking at the pictures I've got to believe the number will go up.

More pictures and a story here.

UPDATE: Jasper County emergency services radio can be heard here.