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At least 25 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured after powerful tornadoes tore through parts of Missouri and Kentucky, causing massive destruction and widespread power outages.
Officials in Kentucky confirmed 18 deaths, while seven fatalities were reported in Missouri, including five in St Louis, where the tornado struck with significant force. The disaster left around 140,000 properties without power across both states by Saturday afternoon.
🚨Yesterday, tornadoes hit Missouri and Kentucky, killing over 22 people
The storm hit the cities of St. Louis and London, Kentucky. About 5,000 homes were damaged, and about 100,000 people were left without power, NBC News reported.#Tornado #Kentucky #Missouri pic.twitter.com/X7SI6ahJQQ
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Military Conflicts (@Alex_RobertsJ) May 17, 2025
Kentucky Tornado Strikes Overnight
In Laurel County, Kentucky, the tornado hit in the early hours of Saturday morning. Officials warned that the death toll may rise as emergency teams continue searching for survivors. The Laurel County Sheriff, John Root, said on social media, “The search is continuing in the damaged area for survivors.”
Missouri Sees Heavy Damage and Rising Injuries
In Missouri, about 5,000 buildings were damaged, with many homes losing roofs and power lines brought down by strong winds. According to St Louis Mayor Cara Spencer, at least 38 people were injured, mostly due to collapsed buildings and falling trees. The St Louis Fire Department rescued three people after part of Centennial Christian Church collapsed sadly, one of them died.
A curfew was enforced from 9 PM to 6 AM in the hardest-hit areas to prevent further injuries from debris and to deter looting.
🚨Yesterday, tornadoes hit Missouri and Kentucky, killing over 22 people
The storm hit the cities of St. Louis and London, Kentucky. About 5,000 homes were damaged, and about 100,000 people were left without power, NBC News reported.#Tornado #Kentucky #Missouri pic.twitter.com/X7SI6ahJQQ
— Military Conflicts (@Alex_RobertsJ) May 17, 2025
Historic Sites Not Spared
The tornado touched down near Forest Park in Missouri, close to the historic St Louis Zoo and the 1904 Olympic Games site, according to radar data from the National Weather Service.
Mayor Vows Recovery Amid Loss
St Louis Mayor Spencer described the situation as “truly horrendous,” emphasizing, “We’re going to have a lot of work to do in the coming days… but tonight we are focused on saving lives, keeping people safe, and allowing our community to grieve.”
Tornado Warnings and National Forecast
Tornadoes were also reported in neighboring Illinois, and weather experts warned that more could strike northern Texas over the weekend, due to severe storm systems moving eastward to the Atlantic coast.
This region is part of “Tornado Alley”, an area in the central US known for frequent and powerful tornadoes. On average, Missouri sees 16 tornadoes and Kentucky around 5 each May.
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