Nation in Brief, May 30

Missouri

Joplin Missing Persons Down to 156

President Barack Obama visited Missouri on May 29, where he spoke at a memorial for those killed by a tornado. It was the president's third visit to a natural disaster site in a month. He had just returned from a trip to Europe, which included the G-8 summit.

More survivors have been contacted in Joplin. So far, 89 people who were missing after a devastating tornado hit the Missouri town have been found, according to an update from the Missouri Department of Public Safety. From the missing persons list, six were confirmed dead and 156 people were still unaccounted for, five days after a powerful tornado smashed through the town, turning neighborhoods into debris. The tornado was listed as an EF5 with winds up to 200 miles per hour.

The tornado directly carved a path through the city of 50,000 on May 22. More than 900 people were injured.

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr said at a press conference on May 28 that at least 142 residents died in the storm. It was the deadliest single tornado in 60 years, and 2011 has been the deadliest year for tornadoes since 1953. So far, 523 people have died from tornadoes. In 1953 the total deaths were 519. On Thursday, Missouri officials released a missing persons list with 232 names on it.

Florida

Endeavour Crew Does Final Spacewalk

Crew members of the Endeavour conducted what is likely the last spacewalk by a space shuttle crew on Friday, NASA said.

Mission specialists Greg Chamitoff and Mike Fincke completed the seven-hour-long spacewalk to finish constructing the International Space Station. Future spacewalks will be done by those who live and work full-time at the space station. It was the fourth spacewalk in a week before Endeavour leaves the space station. It is scheduled to land on the morning of June 1.