A massive storm system spawned twisters along a broad swath of the U.S. Midwest, with one city in Missouri hit with such force that dozens of cars were upended and entire neighborhoods were scrubbed to the earth, leaving only a forest of splintered tree trunks behind. An unknown number were killed in Joplin, in southwest Missouri, on Sunday and officials struggling to communicate without power and cell phone service were leery of putting a hard figure on a death toll they feared would rise after daybreak. Asked about a report that 24 people had died, city spokeswoman Lynn Onstot said grimly that officials were «afraid it may be more. ... Our fear is that's a low number.» The Missouri National Guard planned to search for the injured throughout the night, according to a report of the Associated Press.
