Wayne County mourns six lives lost as tornadoes devastate the region

Wayne County Emergency Management Director Wayne Freeze has confirmed six fatalities in his county.

“We are still in a recovery mood,” said Freeze, who explained two tornadoes are believed to have touched down in the county,

Three reportedly died in the Leeper area, two in northwestern Wayne County and one in the northeastern portion of the county,

Freeze said he has between 70 and 80 people helping from the Homeland Security Team, from the Jackson and Cape Girardeau area, SEMA and MoDOT.

Leeper is an unincorporated community in southwestern Wayne County located on the Black River, approximately five miles south of Piedmont at the intersection of Routes 34 and 49.

Missouri State Highway Patrol is also reporting deaths in Wayne and other area counties.

This is an evolving story and will be updated as information becomes available.