At least three people were killed when tornadoes tore through southwest Missouri and the state's capital Jefferson City late Wednesday night… Missouri Governor Mike Parson says officials are still assessing the damage.

(SOUNDBITE) MISSOURI GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON SAYING: "When you have chaos it's a matter of how do you handle chaos and that's what we are doing right now- trying to get people safe, making sure everyone is okay, still checking on people, checking on property and getting people on the ground." The fatalities were recorded in the township of Golden City but the tornado left a trail of destruction across a much broader area, damaging homes and causing power outages throughout the state… Some residents in Jefferson City were forced to evacuate.

At least three other people have been killed in this week's string of tornadoes and flooding in Oklahoma and Iowa.

The severe weather also hit areas from Texas to Illinois… And now, heavy rain is expected across eastern Kansas, Oklahoma and into western Missouri....