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18-05-2025
LOUIS: Dozens of people are reported to have died after tornadoes tore through parts of two US states.
Officials in Kentucky, said there had been nine deaths while seven people were killed in Missouri, including five in the city of St Louis.
The Kentucky tornado struck in Laurel County, in the south-east of the state, in the early hours of Saturday. Officials said they expected the death toll to rise.
Missouri officials said 5,000 buildings were damaged, roofs destroyed and power lines knocked downed as a tornado stuck on Friday.
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 neighboring Illinois, with more severe weather conditions stretching eastwards to the Atlantic coast.
In Missouri, the Friday storms inflicted widespread damage, tearing roofs from buildings, shattering windows, ripping bricks from siding, and uprooting trees and power lines.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five deaths within the city, with more than 5,000 homes impacted by the storms.
“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said, adding that the city was in the process of declaring an emergency and an overnight curfew had been put into place on Friday in the neighborhoods with the most damage.
The number of people injured was not immediately known. Barnes-Jewish Hospital received 20 to 30 patients from the storm with some in serious condition and most expected to be discharged by Friday night, according to hospital spokesperson Laura High.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital received 15 patients, with two of them expected to remain in the hospital into the weekend, she said.
National Weather Service radar indicated a tornado touched down between 2.30 p.m. and 2.50 pm in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.
At Centennial Christian Church, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told media that three people had to be rescued after part of the church crumbled. One of those people died.
Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law Patricia Penelton died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.
Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who lives across from the church, heard an alert on his phone and then the lights went out. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
