St Louis, Missouri: At least seven people have died and emergency crews are searching through damaged buildings after a wave of powerful storms — including at least one possible tornado — tore through Missouri on Friday, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The violent weather was part of a larger storm system that also brought tornadoes to Wisconsin, severe damage across the Great Lakes region, and scorching heat to Texas. In Missouri, the storms caused catastrophic damage: roofs were torn off buildings, windows shattered, trees uprooted, and power lines toppled.

St Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five fatalities in her city and reported that more than 5,000 homes were affected. Around 100,000 customers were left without power on Friday night. “This is truly, truly devastating,” said Spencer, adding that the city was preparing to declare a state of emergency and had imposed an overnight curfew in the worst-hit neighbourhoods.

The full extent of injuries remains unclear. Barnes-Jewish Hospital treated 20 to 30 people, several in serious condition, though most were expected to be discharged the same night, according to hospital spokesperson Laura High. St Louis Children’s Hospital received 15 patients, with two expected to remain under care over the weekend.

According to the National Weather Service, radar data indicated a likely tornado touched down between 2:30pm and 2:50pm in Clayton, Missouri, near Forest Park — a landmark area that houses the St Louis Zoo and was the site of the 1904 World's Fair and Olympic Games.

One fatality occurred at Centennial Christian Church, where three individuals had to be rescued after part of the building collapsed. One of them, Patricia Penelton, a dedicated church volunteer, was killed. “She was active in the choir and in so many things,” said her son-in-law, Stacy Clark.

Eyewitnesses described the chaos as the storm hit. “Everything was tore up,” said local resident Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who took shelter with his brother in their basement. Nearby, the upper floors of the Harlem Taproom were reduced to rubble, though all 20 people inside escaped unharmed after taking shelter at the back of the building.

At the St Louis Art Museum, around 150 visitors were ushered into the basement for safety. “You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by, and people running,” said 19-year-old university student John Randle, who had stepped out briefly to witness the intensity of the storm.

The Saint Louis Zoo confirmed it would remain closed on Saturday due to widespread storm damage, though all animals and staff were reported safe.

In Scott County, about 200 kilometres south of St Louis, a tornado caused further devastation, killing two people and injuring several others. “Our first responders acted swiftly, even while the tornado was still active,” said Sheriff Derick Wheetley, praising the emergency teams’ efforts under dangerous conditions.

While the National Weather Service has yet to officially confirm the tornadoes, meteorologist Marshall Pfahler noted: “We can't definitively say whether or not it was a tornado — it likely was.”