Joplin tornado death toll at 134

JOPLIN, Mo., June 1 (UPI) -- With all citizens accounted for, the Missouri Department of Public Safety said Wednesday the death toll from the May 22 tornado that smashed Joplin was at 134.

The State Highway Patrol has accounted for the final 10 individuals who had still been on its list Tuesday and the next-of-kin had been notified for 134 people who died in the storm, the Public Safety Department said in a release.

"In the wake of this devastating tornado, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers have demonstrated outstanding professionalism and dedication in carrying out the vital mission of locating every individual who was unaccounted for after the storm," Gov. Jay Nixon said. "Our troopers worked 24/7 to locate these individuals and to bring relief to the families of the living, and closure to the families of those who died. This was a critical mission that our Missouri State Highway Patrol performed exceptionally well."

After initial reports that there could be more than 1,300 people unaccounted for, the State Patrol was given the task of verifying the whereabouts of 268 individuals for whom missing-persons reports were filed. Of that number, 144 people were located and 124 were confirmed deceased. Seven other victims were confirmed deceased but transported directly to funeral homes rather than the morgue, and three other people died in hospitals after the storm.