ST. LOUIS – A single tornado that marched through the St. Louis area on a 22.6-mile path with maximum winds of 152 mph killed five people, injured a few dozen others, and caused approximately $1 billion in damage on Friday.
Mayor Cara Spencer estimated the damage at a Sunday news conference and predicted a lengthy recovery. In a later news conference, she emphasized that financial donations were “badly needed.”
“We really need your funding to get through the next couple days, these next couple weeks,” Spencer informed me.
The mayor stated that her office collaborated with the St. Louis Community Foundation to establish the City of St. Louis Tornado Response Fund, which now has a website where residents can donate. The office also collaborated with state and federal officials to activate additional funding sources.
Spencer also urged caution, as another round of severe weather is expected Monday night and Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service, the tornado began just outside of St. Louis and moved through the north St. Louis City area, primarily in the Fountain Park, Ville, Greater Ville, and O’Fallon neighborhoods.
The tornado, which was nearly a mile wide at its peak, had weakened to EF0 to EF1 strength by the time it reached Illinois.
“We are shifting our focus… to storm prep,” Spencer said during a midday press briefing.
Nearly 50,000 residents in the metro St. Louis area, particularly in the city’s north, were still without power Sunday morning as they assessed the damage, sought assistance, and attempted to determine what to do next in their recovery.
“This is going to be a long recovery,” Spencer explained. “We do believe we have all roads cleared.” She stated that the emphasis has not shifted to removing trees and power lines from private property.
Spencer also stated that she was seeking a federal emergency declaration and possible FEMA assistance, but that the process would be lengthy.
According to the Ameren outage map, the number of residents without power has been roughly cut in half since Saturday, when nearly 100,000 buildings went dark.
The tornadoes were thought to have killed five people and injured more than 30. An estimated 5,000 buildings were damaged.
A curfew was lifted at 6 a.m. on Sunday, but it remained in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the city’s hardest hit areas.
Three shelters had been opened for residents, and at least one of them was already full. A number of relief organizations were soliciting donations.
The Saint Louis Zoo has announced that it will remain closed on Sunday due to damage from Friday’s storm.
Storm damage has prevented Blue Line MetroLink trains from running between Brentwood Interstate 64 and Forest Park-DeBaliviere stations. Metro Transit stated that Blue Line Bus Shuttles are transporting passengers between the Brentwood I-64, Richmond Heights, Clayton, Forsyth, University City-Big Bend, Skinker, and Forest Park-DeBaliviere stations. Passengers in the area should plan an extra 30 minutes for their commute.
MetroBus service on the #18 Taylor and #42 Sarah routes is currently suspended due to downed power lines and other obstructions.
To make matters worse for the metro area, more severe weather is expected for Monday, with some showers in the morning, a heat wave during the day, and then a chance of severe weather, possibly including tornadoes again.