the forecast calls for a chance of more tornadoes with the peak threat beginning late this afternoon. right now the death toll from sunday s tornado stands at 116, but officials do believe that number is likely to go a lot higher. according to the national weather service, the twister hit joplin with wind speeds between 190 and 198 miles an hour and it was staggering. as i say it measured about three quarters of a mile wide, but it stayed on the ground long enough to carve out a six-mile gash into the heart of joplin and it really leveled everything in its way. the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, noaaa, said this is the single deadliest tornado it has recorded dating back to 1950, the year they began keeping records. now let s just take a look at what s going on around me. you can see over my shoulder. the medical center over there.
it is tuesday, may 24th. we re getting a much better picture of the scope of the disaster that we re talking about in joplin, missouri, today where our ali velshi is. good morning. what are you seeing there? good morning, kiran, christine. i wish i could tell you it s a good morning in joplin. it simply isn t. over my shoulder you can see the remains of the medical center which in this vast area is really the only building of significance that is still standing. let s begin this morning with some breaking news, however. president obama in london this morning, is announcing that he will be coming here. he will be visiting joplin this sunday as soon as he gets back from his european trip. the president says he wants the folks here to know the government will do absolutely everything they can to make sure that there s recovery here. 30% of joplin is gone. it s decimated. right now hundreds of police, fire fighters, national guardsmen, other volunteers are searching for survi