Destructive tornadoes in St. Louis and surrounding areas: victims and destruction
17 may 2025 в 19:13
Residents of St. Louis, adjacent areas of Missouri, and parts of Kentucky were hit by devastating tornadoes on Friday, May 16. The whirlwind left a multitude of destroyed buildings, downed power lines, and at least 100,000 people without electricity — not to mention the dozens of tragic deaths that were reported.
Mayor Kara Spencer stated in a public statement that «the loss of life and destruction is truly, truly horrific».
«We will have a lot of work in the coming days», - she added. «There is no doubt about that, but tonight we are focused on saving lives, ensuring the safety of people, and allowing our community to mourn».
Governor Andy Beshear supported Spencer’s statements, writing on Twitter: «Kentucky, we are waking up to news of multiple deaths from yesterday’s storms. Please pray for the affected. We will update information as soon as we have new data».
Below are updates on the severity and destruction from the tornado in St. Louis.
At least 1,000 tornadoes have been recorded in Missouri’s history since 1871, with dozens of them hitting St. Louis since then. The 1896 tornado that struck the county was the third deadliest in United States history. The disaster injured at least 1,000 people and claimed the lives of hundreds of others. In 1927, the second costliest tornado in the US hit St. Louis.
According to various sources, Missouri officials reported that 5,000 buildings were seriously damaged by the tornado. Roofs collapsed, and power lines also fell.
In addition, over 100,000 properties in St. Louis were left without electricity.
At the time of publication, at least 21 people had been declared dead from the tornado, according to the BBC. Fourteen of these victims died in Kentucky, and Governor Beshear wrote on Twitter: «Unfortunately, this number is expected to increase as new information comes in».
In Missouri, five people died in St. Louis County, and two more were declared dead in Scott County, according to NBC News
Mayor Kara Spencer stated in a public statement that «the loss of life and destruction is truly, truly horrific».
«We will have a lot of work in the coming days», - she added. «There is no doubt about that, but tonight we are focused on saving lives, ensuring the safety of people, and allowing our community to mourn».
Governor Andy Beshear supported Spencer’s statements, writing on Twitter: «Kentucky, we are waking up to news of multiple deaths from yesterday’s storms. Please pray for the affected. We will update information as soon as we have new data».
Below are updates on the severity and destruction from the tornado in St. Louis.
At least 1,000 tornadoes have been recorded in Missouri’s history since 1871, with dozens of them hitting St. Louis since then. The 1896 tornado that struck the county was the third deadliest in United States history. The disaster injured at least 1,000 people and claimed the lives of hundreds of others. In 1927, the second costliest tornado in the US hit St. Louis.
According to various sources, Missouri officials reported that 5,000 buildings were seriously damaged by the tornado. Roofs collapsed, and power lines also fell.
In addition, over 100,000 properties in St. Louis were left without electricity.
At the time of publication, at least 21 people had been declared dead from the tornado, according to the BBC. Fourteen of these victims died in Kentucky, and Governor Beshear wrote on Twitter: «Unfortunately, this number is expected to increase as new information comes in».
In Missouri, five people died in St. Louis County, and two more were declared dead in Scott County, according to NBC News
© Puhova Marina
