Multivortex twister obliterates the town of Joplin, Missouri [PHOTOS]

[Meatpie]

New shocking photos reveal for the first time the true extent of the damage caused when the mile-wide tornado that killed at least 122 people blasted much of the city off the map and slammed straight into its hospital.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3B5E7000000578-911_964x640.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3DBCD300000578-675_964x563.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3DBCD900000578-972_964x639.jpg

The sun rises over devastated Joplin on Tuesday as the search for survivors continues

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3B913D00000578-513_964x549.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3E876800000578-554_964x675.jpg

Aerial pictures reveal the devastation caused by the tornado in Joplin, Missouri

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3EA51400000578-223_964x636.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3E99D700000578-983_964x637.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3E956A00000578-99_964x641.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/25/article-1389737-0C3F696300000578-675_964x529.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1389737-0C3F8E4900000578-931_964x512.jpg

Photos from Joplin resemble tsunami-hit areas in Japan.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/24/article-1390530-0C3A177400000578-371_470x344_popup.jpg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389737/Joplin-MO-tornado-At-89-dead-twister-cuts-4-mile-swathe-Missouri-town.html#

[Fideliodemo]

The President stated that we will be in Joplin until everything is back to normal. What about the other communities that were ravaged by tornadoes earlier in the month? Aren't they just as needy as Joplin? Don't they deserve our full attention and support also? Something is going on as it seems the strength, severity, magnitude and frequency of these 'natural disasters' is increasing. The world may not have ended at 6PM on the 21st, but it seems as if Mother Nature maybe did not get the memo in time or at all. We have relatives that live near the area who were here visiting when the storms hit. They have friends in Joplin and the surrounding communities that they cannot get a hold of and decided that they should go back and see what they could do. Their house and property is still there and standing but they say it is like no experience you could ever fathom seeing what was left in the tornado's aftermath.

[JValdez]

Horrendous . . . you must experience being in the midst of a tornado at 02:00; the hideous colours, noise, skin-crawling humidity, total 'otherworldliness' is something you will never forget; that, and the damage visible the next day . . . Fidelio, it does seem as if Mother Nature has become rather cross; we are sending our best thoughts and also something a little more tangible to those so ravaged right now . . .

[feettartar]

this is just the beginning, my friends - it seems like the probabilities of bigger cities being hit more just went way up!

[Roger]

Is really sad, sorry about all

[Meatpie]

Meterologists say the tornado that wiped out Joplin was a F4 but from the amount of damage it looks like a F5 - utter devastation resembling tsunami damage we saw in Japan earlier this year.