Three people were killed when the twister touched down in this Branch County community late Friday afternoon, and at least a dozen were injured.

Meteorologists said the tornado touched down in northern Shawnee around 11:34 p.m. and moved through Merriam, Wyandotte County and across Interstate 35 before making its way to Kansas City. The short-lived tornado ended around 11:45 p.m.

The scope of the damage is being realized and the death toll is rising. Here's what we know about a deadly stretch of powerful storms.

A medical examiner and police are on scene in Union City after a tornado swept through the area on Friday.

At 11:35 p.m. on Friday, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in effect until Saturday at midnight. The warning is for Johnson, Wyandotte and Jackson counties.

A large and violent tornado has caused serious damage on the ground in Union City, Michigan. Reports and pictures have come out showing the widespread damage, but no reports on the number of fatalities.

Severe storms are sweeping across the central U.S., and forecasters warn tornadoes could turn dangerous across several states