Two twisters strike near Willard during massive tornado outbreak

Two EF-1 tornadoes touched down near Willard within six minutes of each other on Tuesday, April 30. No deaths or injuries were reported from the twisters.
According to the National Weather Service, the first tornado touched down about two miles northwest of Willard at 8:15 p.m. and lifted at 8:17 p.m. The second tornado touched down at 8:21 p.m. and lifted at 8:23 p.m. Both tornadoes traveled two miles before lifting, had maximum wind gusts of 100 miles per hour, and left paths about 200 yards in width.  
The National Weather Service also reported that some buildings were damaged in the second tornado, but the damage from both twisters was mostly uprooted trees.
Jennifer Rowe, Willard city clerk and director of emergency management, said most of the structural damage within the city was to the soccer complex.
“It took out quite a few trees and did some damage there,” she said, “and then it pulled half of the roof off the pole barn there at the Rec Center.”
Rowe added that the damage would not affect the Rec Center’s day-to-day operations.
To help Willard residents with the storm’s aftermath, the city allowed them to bring storm debris to the soccer complex for disposal on Saturday, May 4.
“We actually held a cleanup day on Saturday, where all of our citizens were able to bring their tree limbs and yard waste from the storm out to the soccer complex and we burned it all down for them and took care of it,” she said.
Rowe also said city residents came together to help one another after the storm.
“I think our community has done well,” she said. “It was nice to see everybody getting together and looking out for each other with everything.”
Tornadoes also touched down in the nearby communities of Miller and Ozark. There were a total of 28 confirmed tornadoes April 30 in Missouri, and one in Arkansas.