(From the Missouri Department of Public Safety)
The Missouri Department of Public Safety this afternoon reported that the number of persons unaccounted-for as a result of the EF-5 tornado that devastated Joplin on May 22 now stands at 10. All persons once classified as reported deceased by their families, but awaiting scientific confirmation of their identities, have now been identified and their next-of-kin notified.
On May 26, the department released a list of 232 individuals for whom an official missing persons report had been filed. More than 60 law-enforcement and emergency-management personnel, including Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers, State Emergency Management Agency staff, federal partners, and local detectives are working under the department's direction on this top priority. At 9 a.m. on May 27, the number had been reduced to 156; at 1 p.m. on May 28, the number had been reduced to 100; at 11 a.m. on May 29, the number had been reduced to 43; at 11:30 a.m. on May 30, the number had been reduced to 29.
The Department of Public Safety provided the following updated totals, as of 11 a.m. May 31:
· 10 persons are unaccounted for
· 144 persons have been reported located
· 37 additional missing persons reports have been filed
· 4 persons have been confirmed to have been reported on the list twice or under different names
Persons categorized as "reported located" are individuals who the Missouri State Highway Patrol has received credible information indicating that they are alive. Following the release and posting of the initial list on May 26, the Highway Patrol received many phone calls and e-mails that included credible information about the location of individuals. The Patrol is also monitoring postings on facebook and other social media sites. The Patrol and local police continue to pursue information to confirm the status of these individuals.
"As of today, the number of unaccounted-for individuals has been reduced to 10, from 232 on May 26, and our 24-hour a day effort continues," said Department of Public Safety Deputy Director Andrea Spillars. "Since Gov. Nixon directed the Department of Public Safety to take charge of locating all unaccounted-for individuals, and notifying the next-of-kin of all the confirmed deceased, the Highway Patrol has devoted all available personnel to this effort. The department, the Patrol and SEMA are committed to continuing this around the clock effort.”
Spillars said that the department is encouraged by the fact that 144 persons who were once unaccounted-for have now been reported to be located. The Missouri State Highway Patrol, local law enforcement and others continue to work to confirm each of these reports.
The names of unaccounted-for individuals are being cross-referenced with all hospitals that admitted or treated patients injured during the tornado, shelters housing tornado survivors, applicants for disaster assistance and the Red Cross Safe and Well program. Additionally, the Department of Public Safety is working with cell phone service providers to check whether cell phones have been used by individuals who have been unaccounted-for since their names were added to the list.
The unaccounted-for list is available on the Missouri Department of Public Safety Web site, www.dps.mo.gov and will be updated daily.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 31, the next-of-kin of 120 deceased individuals have been notified. The names of these deceased individuals are:
Jose O. Alvarez, 59, Joplin Donald W. Lansaw, Jr., 31, Joplin
Barbara A. Anderson, 76, Joplin Bruce A. Lievens, 48, Joplin
Sarah L. Anderson, 47, Joplin Billie S. Little, 65, Joplin
William A. Anderson, 53, Joplin Skyuler I. Logsdon, 1, Joplin
Cyrus "Edward" Ash, Jr., 87, Joplin Christopher D. Lucas, 28, Vinita, Oklahoma
Grace Aquino, 46, of Joplin Rachel K. Markham, 31, Joplin
Robert W. Baker, 54, Joplin Nancy Martin, 52, Neosho
Robert E. Bateson, 45, Joplin Jesse L. McKee, 44, Neosho
Dorothy T. Bell, 88, Joplin James E. McKeel, 69, Joplin
Regina M. Bloxham, 55, Joplin Mary L. McKeel, 64, Joplin
Lathe E. Bradfield, 84, Joplin Randall E. Mell, 49, Joplin
Ramona M. Bridgeford, 77, Seneca Ronald D. Meyer, 64, Joplin
Leo E. Brown, 86, Joplin Lorna K. Miller, 72, Joplin
Hugh O. Buttram, 85, Joplin Ray Donald Miller III, 49, Joplin
Tami L. Campbell, 28, Joplin Suzanne M. Mock, 39, Forsyth
Arriyinnah S. Carmona, 8, Joplin Esterlita Moore, 64, Joplin
Moises Carmona-Navarro, 42, Joplin Doris Montgomery, 83, Joplin
Shante M. Caton, 10, Joplin Edmond V. Mullaney, 82, Joplin
Trenton Caton, 6, Pierce City Sharyl Nelsen, 34, Joplin
Raymond Chew, 66, Joplin William R. Norton, 18, Joplin
Carolane J. Collins, 62 Eagle Rock Dennis M. Osborn, 34, Seneca
Clyde Coleman, 72, Galena, Kansas Charles E. Oster, 77, Joplin
Lois A. Comfort, 66, Webb City Shirley Ann Parker, 68, Joplin
Keenan K. Conger, 49, Joplin Mary J. Perry, 76, Joplin
Vicki L. Cooper, 59, Joplin James B. Peterson, 27, Joplin
Teddy R. Copher, 71, Joplin John H. Petty, 37, Neosho
Malisa A. Crossley, 36, Joplin Hallie M. Piquard, 78, Joplin
Adam Darnaby, 27, Joplin Natalia M. Puebla, 17, Neosho
Patricia E. Dawson, 74, Joplin Shelly Marie Ramsey, 42, Neosho
Nancy E. Douthitt, 94, Joplin Loretta Randell, 54, Joplin
Ellen Doyle, 75, Joplin Troy Raney, 39, Joplin
Amonda S. Eastwood, 49, Joplin Virgil T. Reid, 77, Joplin
Richard A. Elmore, 70, Joplin Johnny Richey, 52, Joplin
Randy E. England, 34, Neosho Vicki Robertson, 66, Joplin
Mark L. Farmer, 56, Joplin Keith D. Robinson, 48, Joplin
Ida M. Finley, 88, Joplin Virginia Mae Salmon, 80, Joplin
Betty Fisher, 86, Joplin Tonya L. Sawyer, 41, Fort Scott, Kansas
Robert S. Fitzgerald, 61, Joplin Frances A. Scates, 70, Joplin
Rick E. Fox, 56, Joplin Gladys J. Seay, 83, Welch, Oklahoma
Marsha A. Frost, 32, Joplin Daniel W. Shirley, 48, Joplin
Sebastian C. Frost, 10, Joplin Judy Smith, 71, Joplin
Charles K. Gaudsmith, 21, Carthage Nicholaus A. Smith, 23, Joplin
Billie J. Gideon, 77, Joplin Shyrell L. Smith, 68, Pittsburg, Kansas
Paul E. Haddock, 63, Joplin Lois L. Sparks, 92, Joplin
Caley Lantz Hare, 16, Joplin Steven J. Stephens, 28, Joplin
Dorothy V. Hartman, 91, Joplin Gregan D. Sweet, 59, Joplin
Dee A. Hayward, 47, Galena, Kansas Kayleigh Teal, 16, Pittsburg, Kansas
Glenn W. Holland, 59, Joplin Heather L. Terry, 36, Joplin
Lorie M. Holland, 48, Joplin John Thomas, Jr., 40, Joplin
Charlotte Hopwood, 84, Joplin Sandra K. Thomas, 55, Carthage
Hayze Howard, 1, Webb City Zachary D. Treadwell, 9, Joplin
Harli Howard, 5, Webb City Margaret Tuit, 92, Joplin
Thomas Russell Howard, 29, Webb City Michael E. Tyndall, 33, Joplin
Jane E. Jaynes, 86, Joplin Darian D. Vanderhoofven, 45, Joplin
Melisa R. Johnson, 50, Carthage Joshua D. Vanderhoofven, 1, Joplin
Cheryl L. Jones, 39, Altamont, Kansas Miguel Vazquez-Castillo, 28, Joplin
Kathy S. Keling, 53, Joplin Miles Wells, 49, Webb City
James D. Kendrick, 63, Joplin Tiera Whitley, 20, Fulton, Kansas
Geneva Koler, 84, Joplin Zach Williams, 12, Joplin
Tedra J. Kuhn, 69, Joplin Charles W. Writer, 74, Joplin
To help reduce the list of unaccounted-for individuals and speed the process of reuniting tornado survivors with loved ones, Spillars urged the public to call the Missouri State Highway Patrol Found-Persons Hotline: 417-895-6868.
To get direction on filing a report about an unaccounted-for individual, families and loved ones are encouraged to call 417-659-5464 or file a report with the Highway Patrol in person at the Billingsley Student Center on the campus of Missouri Southern State University.
The Department of Public Safety will release a daily update of those individuals confirmed as deceased as a result of the tornado, following notification of next-of-kin. The updates will be available on the department Web site, www.dps.mo.gov.
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