At least 16 dead as tornadoes tear through Missouri and Kentucky VIDEO

Severe weather, including possible tornadoes, left at least 16 people dead across Missouri and Kentucky between the afternoon of May 16 and the early morning of May 17, according to local authorities. 

The storms caused widespread destruction, knocked out power for tens of thousands, and prompted urgent search-and-rescue operations across several counties, Caliber.Az reports, citing NBC News.

In Laurel County, Kentucky, nine people were confirmed dead, with “numerous severe injuries,” Sheriff John Root said. He confirmed that a tornado had touched down late Friday night, and that search efforts were ongoing for additional survivors trapped or injured by the storm’s impact.

In Missouri, five fatalities were reported in the city of St. Louis, while two others were killed in Scott County, in the southeastern part of the state, officials confirmed.

BREAKING #StLouis / #Missouri

New Heart Pounding Video of a tornado ripping through Metro St Louis earlier today. Atleast 4 people have been confirmed deceased as a result of this storm as other storms rip through the Midwest from Texas to Indiana pic.twitter.com/RSAF4fjLS8

— OC Scanner 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 (@OC_Scanner) May 17, 2025

At a Friday evening news conference, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer announced that the death toll in the city had risen to five, up from four earlier in the day. She noted that two of the fatalities occurred in North City, where a tornado vortex had been observed. Mayor Spencer also imposed a curfew for the northern part of the city, from Forest Park to the northern boundary, effective until 6 a.m. Saturday.

Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson reported that the storm damaged approximately 20 square blocks of St. Louis. Search-and-rescue operations were continuing, supported by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and first responders from neighbouring counties.

“It’s all hands on deck to rescue as many people as we can and save lives,” said St. Louis Police spokesperson Mitch McCoy, speaking to local NBC affiliate KSDK.

More than 5,000 homes in the St. Louis area may have been affected by the afternoon's powerful storm system, according to local officials.

Hospitals also faced a surge in emergency cases. A spokesperson for St. Louis Children's Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital said the two facilities had received at least 35 patients between them. St. Louis Children's Hospital treated 15 injured individuals, while Barnes-Jewish Hospital received between 20 and 30.

At Barnes-Jewish, while some patients were discharged, others were being treated for serious injuries sustained during the storm.

The devastation left much of St. Louis in darkness. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 40,000 utility customers in the St. Louis region were without electricity as of Friday night. Across Missouri, the total number of customers without power exceeded 97,000.

The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that the tornado was first spotted shortly after 2:30 p.m., in St. Louis near Forest Park, and was moving east toward Granite City, Illinois, according to meteorologist Marshall Pfahler.

Emergency crews continue to assess the damage and search for survivors, as both states begin to reckon with the impact of one of the most destructive weather events in recent months.

By Tamilla Hasanova