St. Louis reeling after tornado ripped through city, killing 5 people and injuring 38
As crews surveyed the damage from a tornado that ripped through St. Louis, authorities said Saturday that at least five people were dead and 38 injured citywide.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service in St. Louis confirmed the powerful tornado touched down shortly after the agency issued a warning around 2:30 p.m. Friday. Emergency crews were working Saturday to clear debris from streets and urging people to stay away from damaged areas for their safety.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department provided an update on social media on Saturday afternoon, saying 38 people have reported injuries.
The deadly storm was one of several tornadoes that tore through the region, leaving at least 23 dead since Friday, The Associated Press reported.
A neighborhood resource center opened Saturday at Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, 1408 N. Kingshighway, to provide assistance to those affected by the storm.
Several GoFundMe pages have launched asking for community assistance for lost homes, injuries and lost loved ones. GoFundMe set up a landing page of verified fundraisers for people interested in donating.
The St. Louis-area tornado touched down near Clayton and moved east across the Mississippi River into Illinois and reached a width of about three blocks, a fire department spokesperson said Friday.
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson estimated 500 first responders were part of the storm effort Friday evening.
“There is very significant damage because of this storm,” he said Friday. “This was a very destructive storm.”
Previous reporting by The Star’s Nathan Pilling contributed to this story.
This story was originally published May 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM.
