Tornadoes rake Kansas and Missouri, with up to 21 deaths reported.

Byline: Steve Paul

KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ A relentless series of storms ripped through the Kansas City area for nearly three hours Sunday afternoon, spawning tornadoes that killed at least one person and caused widespread damage.

The death toll overall in Kansas and Missouri was as many as 21, authorities said. Lawrence County in southwest Missouri appeared to be the hardest hit, with up to 12 fatalities, according to a sheriff's estimate.

One huge funnel cloud and other smaller ones flattened neighborhoods in western Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas, destroying homes but sparing some of the area's newest landmarks and attractions in its path.

The storms continued a march of destruction into Missouri.

One tornado crossed the Missouri River near Parkville and headed downstream, eventually blasting a Platte County trucking business and a mobile-home park.

Emergency workers fanned out in the storm's aftermath, searching for victims and assessing damage. At least 47 persons were treated for injuries, most of them minor, according to area hospitals.

Emergency shelters opened throughout the area to house and comfort victims.

Kansas City officials declared a local emergency.

Missouri Gov. Bob Holden toured a devastated neighborhood Sunday night in the Platte County town of Northmoor and said he would head back to Jefferson City to declare a state of emergency.

As he gazed at houses missing roofs and huge swaths of siding, Holden said, "This is the worst damage I've seen from a tornado in several years."

Holden said that in addition to massive damage in Clay and Platte counties, he was monitoring severe storms in Cass…