Aurora Fire Chief Robert Ward tells television station KYTV that one person inside an Aurora motel just off Highway 39 was killed as a storm passed through. Authorities have not released the person’s name or details of how the death occurred. Investigators say others inside the motel escaped unharmed.
Several roads, including U.S. 60 between Aurora and Marionville, were closed because of downed power lines. A hospital in Aurora briefly lost power.
A strong line of storms in the area early Saturday led to several tornado warnings. The National Weather Service has confirmed at least one weak tornado touched down at Monett, which is about 13 miles (21 kilometers) west of Aurora. Officials say the EF-0 tornado damaged several roofs, but no injuries were reported.
