Initial reports suggest as many as 19 tornadoes hit Missouri over the weekend. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Office said the twisters left widespread destruction in 27 Missouri counties – killing at least 12 people and leaving one person missing.

Twisters that tore through Union County, Missouri killed 6 people. One couple survived against incomprehensible odds in a trailer obliterated by the storm.

Tornadoes hammered Missouri on Friday night, ripping apart homes, businesses, and the electrical system. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Office says at least 12 people have been killed and one person is still missing from the severe weather.

Communities across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana were devastated by the deadliest and longest-running tornado ever recorded a century ago. Here's what happened.

The deadliest twister in recorded U.S. history struck 100 years ago Tuesday, touching down in southeastern Missouri and tearing up everything in its 219-mile (352-kilometer) path for nearly four hours through southern Illinois and into Indiana.