ST. LOUIS (AP) — At least five people died and authorities were searching from building to building for people who were trapped or hurt after severe storms including a possible tornado swept through St. Louis.
The storms Friday afternoon tore roofs off buildings, blew out windows, ripped bricks off siding and yanked up trees and power lines. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said more than 5,000 homes were affected and about 100,000 customers remained without electricity on Friday night.
“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said, adding that the city was in the process of declaring an emergency and an overnight curfew Friday had been put into place 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.
The St. Louis Children's Hospital admitted 15 patients, and two of those cases are anticipated to stay until the weekend, according to her statement.
The National Weather Service radar suggested that a tornado landed between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, within the greater St. Louis region. This purported tornado appeared over an area near Forest Park, which houses the renowned St. Louis Zoo and was once where the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympics took place during the same year.
At Centennial Christian Church, Battalion Chief William Pollihan from the City of St. Louis Fire Department informed The Associated Press that three individuals required rescue efforts following partial collapse of the church structure. Unfortunately, one person did not survive this incident.
Stacy Clark mentioned that his mother-in-law, Patricia Penelton, passed away inside the church. He characterized her as an extremely dedicated member of the congregation who played multiple roles, such as being part of the choir.
Jeffrey Simmons Sr., residing opposite the church, received an alert on his phone followed by a power outage.
And before long, there was a great deal of commotion, accompanied by strong winds," he recounted. He and his sibling descended into the cellar. Afterwards, he understood the situation was more severe than initially assumed. "The place was completely disarrayed.
Felled trees and malfunctioning traffic lights led to severe traffic congestion during the Friday evening rush hour, prompting authorities to advise residents to remain at home.
When the storm passed, the top floors of the Harlem Taproom’s brick structure were reduced to rubble, scattering debris across the exterior. Approximately twenty individuals were within at the time; however, they gathered towards the rear of the establishment and remained unharmed. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch stated .
John Randle, a 19-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student, mentioned that he and his girlfriend sought shelter in the basement of the St. Louis Art Museum along with roughly 150 others as they tried to stay safe during the storm.
They heard tree limbs and hail striking the building's windows, and Randle ascended a staircase to the primary entryway for roughly 10 seconds, he mentioned.
He mentioned, 'It was clear that doors were being flung open, tree limbs whizzing past, and individuals rushing about,' adding, ‘Many folks found themselves stranded outdoors.’
Christy Childs, a spokesperson for the Saint Louis Zoo, stated via text message that the facility would stay closed on Saturday due to fallen trees and additional damages. According to Childs, all the animals were unharmed, and there had been no major incidents involving staff members, visitors, or creatures.
"We cannot conclusively determine if it was a tornado or not; however, it most probably was," stated National Weather Service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler.
The storms were part of an intense weather system that generated tornadoes in Wisconsin, felled trees, caused widespread blackouts across the Great Lakes area, and unleashed a scorching heatwave upon Texas.
The regions of Appalachia and the Midwest confront threats.
Meteorologists cautioned that intense thunderstorms bringing potential twisters, large hail, and even gusts strong enough to qualify as hurricanes might disrupt sections of Appalachia and the Midwest on Friday.
On Friday evening, the meteorological agency issued a warning for an uncommon tornado emergency near Marion, Illinois, after confirming the presence of a dangerous twister. Information about potential damages and casualties was not promptly reported.
On Friday evening, a dust storm alert was announced for the vicinity of Chicago. According to the meteorological services, a dust front stretched over a 100-mile (161-kilometer) stretch from southwest of Chicago up to northern Indiana, leading to significantly impaired vision.
The National Weather Service warned inhabitants in Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, portions of Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Ohio to prepare for severe thunderstorms capable of producing hail as large as baseballs.
The Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center warned that "powerful, possibly long-lasting tornadoes along with exceptionally large hail" might occur. Additionally, the risk of destructive winds exceeding 75 mph (120 km/h) was anticipated to rise through Friday evening as individual thunderstorms merged into bigger systems.
In preparation for the expected storm on Friday evening, Appalachian Power, serving 1 million customers across West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee, announced that they have sought assistance from nearby utility companies in the form of an extra 1,700 personnel. Additionally, they plan to dispatch their own teams from regions untouched by the weather to aid in restoring services.
Faith Borden, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Nashville office, stated on Friday that central Tennessee might experience various forms of severe weather. She warned about winds reaching speeds of up to 70 miles per hour and mentioned they were anticipating extremely large hailstones measuring as much as three inches—this size being significant for their area.
Texas experiences severe heatwave
Texas experienced intense heat. Heat advisories were put in place for San Antonio and Austin due to temperatures soaring between 95°F (35°C) and 105°F (40.5°C). Areas along the southern East Coast, stretching from Virginia down to Florida, dealt with highs ranging from the 90s (around 32-37°C).
The National Weather Service Office for Austin/San Antonio stated on Friday that the incoming moisture over the weekend would cause temperatures to feel more sweltering.
"There are worries about heat exhaustion among individuals who aren't taking adequate measures when outside," stated meteorologist Jason Runyen, recommending that those impacted should rest periodically and maintain hydration.
Late Thursday night, severe storms featuring loud thunder, vivid lightning, and strong gusts moved across sections of Wisconsin, Illinois, northern Indiana, and Michigan, resulting in numerous fallen trees and causing power outages for tens of thousands of households.
Several tornadoes touched down Thursday in central Wisconsin. None of the twisters had received ratings Thursday, said Timm Uhlmann, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Green Bay.
We're currently collecting reports," Uhlmann stated. "We are evaluating some of the destruction and are still receiving videos and images. The extent of the damage appears quite extensive. There were significant amounts of large hailstones. An additional report from Eau Claire mentioned hail as big as softballs.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
On Friday, surveys assessing damages in Michigan were being conducted to check for potential tornado touchdowns. This information was provided by Steven Freitag, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service located in White Lake Township, which sits northwest of Detroit.
The storms were fueled by temperatures in the lower 80s Farenheit (26-29 C) stretching from Illinois into Michigan and activated by a cold front that pushed through, Freitag said.
By Friday night, customers in Michigan were seeing power return but nearly 190,000 remained without electricity. Power outages also were recorded into Friday night in more than a half-dozen other states including Missouri and Indiana.
The threat of severe weather in Chicago delayed a Beyoncé concert by about two hours Thursday at Soldier Field.
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Associated Press writers Haya Panjwani in Washington, D.C., Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, and Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this story.
Michael Phillis, Corey Williams, and John Hanna from The Associated Press
