Deadly tornadoes strike Kentucky and Missouri in the U.S., claiming over 25 lives.
Tornadoes Pay a Heavy Toll
In a chilling blow, over twenty-five souls were claimed by the wrath of Mother Nature on a fateful Saturday, May 17, leaving authorities in Kentucky and Missouri reeling. These states situated in the heartland of the United States bore the brunt of the massive tornadoes that laid waste to the bustling city of St. Louis.
The devastation wrought in Kentucky was trying, with no less than eighteen lives lost, primarily in the impoverished and rural county of Laurel, as revealed by Governor Andy Beshear. Earlier reports by the governor had hinted at a possible increase in casualties as more information was uncovered.
Missouri's death toll stood at seven fatalities, including five in the sprawling city of St. Louis, going by accounts from various American media outlets. Two additional lives were lost in Virginia, in the eastern parts of the country.
"Search and rescue operations continue this Saturday morning," said Mike O'Connell, director of public safety communications in Missouri, echoing the ominous weather conditions predicted for Sunday evening in the state.
110,000 Homes Under the Dark
The mayor of St. Louis, Cara Spencer, addressed the press in the morning, using the term "truly devastating" to describe the destruction in her city of nearly 280,000 residents. More than 5,000 buildings succumbed to the storm's might, marking one of the worst episodes in the city's history, stated Spencer. Governor Mike Kehoe of Missouri affirmed that emergency services had liaised with the White House to keep them abreast of the evolving situation.
A church in a St. Louis neighborhood sustained heavy damage, as captured by the CBS network, with frontline workers still tending to victims near the church on Saturday morning. "It's unbelievable. It's horrific that a tornado swept through here, causing such chaos to the residents and the church. Our hearts are shattered," commented Pastor Perkins, presiding over the church, speaking to CBS.
The Missouri Red Cross established numerous relief centers for the affected victims. Over 110,000 homes and businesses in Kentucky and Missouri were still plunged in darkness at 5:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. Paris time), according to the specialized site poweroutage.us, signaling an improvement from earlier in the day.
In 2024, tornado-related accidents resulted in 54 fatalities across the United States, as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Faced with the request from the Trump administration, NOAA was compelled to dismiss around 20% of its staff, and the White House planned to impose significant budget cuts on the agency responsible for managing the nation's weather services. Seasonal staff shortages ultimately forced some local offices to stop operating 24/7 for weather monitoring, as was reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday.
Rick Spinrad, the former NOAA chief, had voiced concerns in mid-March 2025, during an interview with AFP, regarding the impact of layoffs on weather predictions. "We are about to enter the tornado season in the central and southeastern United States. As we lose skilled personnel, the maintenance and operation of satellites and radars become increasingly challenging," he said.
For our website
In light of the devastation caused by the tornadoes in St. Louis, the Missouri Red Cross has set up relief centers for the affected residents. Meanwhile, the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which manages the nation's weather services, has been under scrutiny due to potential cuts, leaving concerns about the accuracy of weather predictions during the approaching tornado season.
