A massive tornado struck Joplin, southwest Missouri.

At a news conference early Monday morning, Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr announced that 89 people have died so far. An unaccounted number of people were injured. Patients filled hospitals that could admit them.

The city is mounting search and rescue efforts, the priority of Monday morning. Mayor Mike Woolston is warning those with no business in the streets to stay home.

The town was given about a 20-minute warning before the tornado reached them, longer than the usual 7- to 10-minute warnings, according to Joplin Fire Department's Mitch Randles.

Randles described the tornado to have cut the city in half at a news conference.

In Sunday's storm, the tornado traveled nearly six miles though the center of the town with path at least 1 mile wide. The southern side of the city has been crushed. The tornado attacked a major residential area and a large part of the commercial district. Homes, businesses and restaurants have been obliterated.

According to CNN, a Red Cross worker estimated that 75% of Joplin was destroyed. Debris was catapulted as distant as 70 miles away.

Randles said 25 to 30% of Joplin suffered the most significant damage.

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