Mo. tries to locate missing in Joplin

JOPLIN, Mo., May 26 (UPI) -- Missing persons reports have been filed for 232 people following the devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo., state officials said Thursday.

The state Department of Public Safety announced Gov. Jay Nixon has assigned it the task of trying to track the missing.

"Following the governor's orders, we have assigned additional investigators to take and investigate official reports, to field calls, and to help locate each and every one of these individuals," Deputy Director Andrea Spillars said.

Sunday's tornado, the deadliest to hit the United States in decades, cut a wide swath through Joplin. As of late Wednesday, the death toll was 125 with more than 900 people reported injured, The Kansas City Star reported.

Spillars said more than 60 state troopers and emergency workers have been assigned to locate the missing. Their work includes checking hospitals to determine if anyone on the list has been admitted and tracing cellphone signals to determine if they have used their phones.

She also urged the public to help the effort by reporting anyone now on the list who has been located.