Tornado damage in St. Louis of Missouri: At least 7 killed extensive Storm damage
At least seven people were killed and dozens of others were injured on Friday after a storm caused significant damage in Missouri, significantly impacting the St. Louis metro area.
The storm was part of a system that has millions of people across several states on alert for the potential of tornadoes, damaging wind and large hail.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer shared Friday evening in a press conference that at least five storm-related fatalities have been confirmed in her city, and implemented a city-wide curfew as over 5,000 homes were affected by the storms.
In Scott County, located about 2 hours south of St. Louis, the sheriff reported at least two storm-related deaths and multiple injuries.
About 100,000 properties in St Louis were left without power and the fire department said house-by-house searches were conducted in the worst-affected areas.
National Weather Service radar suggested the tornado touched down shortly after 14:30 local time in the west of the city close to Forest Park – home to St Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 Olympic Games.
St Louis Fire Department said three people had to be rescued after part of the nearby Centennial Christian Church collapsed. One of those people died.
A curfew was imposed from 21:00 to 06:00 local time in the two areas where most of the damage took place, to prevent injuries from debris and reduce the potential for looting.
St Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said: “The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous.
“We’re going to have a lot of work to do in the coming days. There is no doubt there, but tonight we are focused on saving lives and keeping people safe and allowing our community to grieve.”
The US National Weather Service said tornadoes also hit neighbouring Illinois, with more severe weather conditions stretching eastwards to the Atlantic coast.
