tornadoes

The EF3 tornado that tore through the St. Louis region last week destroyed the Scott-Lyles family's legacy home — a house that had stood for over a century. 60-year-old Rena Scott-Lyles was killed while trying to run to her basement.

Emergency Management Commissioner Sarah Russell was placed on paid administrative leave pending an external investigation into the actions of the agency during Friday's deadly tornado.

It's getting more common for a lot of tornadoes to form over a big area in a short period of time — such as the outbreak that killed dozens in Kentucky and Missouri. But the total number of tornadoes each year in the U.S. is stable.

The mayor's acknowledgement on Monday confirms what St. Louisans had suspected and feared: Residents were not given a warning for the first deadly tornado in the city since 1959.

If you are among those who are without coverage and sustained damage to your property, the Midwest Newsroom invites you to share your story with us.

Kansas City is getting hit by winds up to 80 MPH and half-dollar-sized hail that could damage roofs or cars. The area is also in danger of flash flooding, as thunderstorms batter the Midwest and Great Plains.

"It literally had looked like a bomb had just went off," one volunteer said of the tornado's damage in north St. Louis. "Blocks and blocks of homes that are just gone."

The EF3 tornado caused at least $1 billion in damage in the city of St. Louis alone. At the storm’s peak, more than 100,000 lost power. Five people were confirmed dead and dozens of residents were hospitalized with injuries.

More than 5,000 homes were impacted, and 38 people were injured after an EF3 tornado tore across St. Louis.

Last month, dust storms in Texas and Kansas reduced visibility on roads, resulting in multi-car pileups that killed at least 11 people. "Wind is unlike many other hazards because you really can't see it," says AAA's Bill Van Tassel.

Rolla Public Library is providing a lost-and-found for people who find photos and other personal items in their yards and elsewhere.

Twisters that tore through Union County, Missouri, killed 6 people. One couple survived against incomprehensible odds in a trailer obliterated by the storm.