Roofs peeled from buildings and trees and utility lines toppled. The fire chief says at least 20 square blocks of the city are damaged.

A tornado ripped through St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday, killing at least five people and damaging 5,000 properties as it tore off roofs, knocked down power lines and swept through a major thoroughfare during rush-hour traffic,

A series of tornadoes swept through the metro area. Early reports are a lot of damage. ST. LOUIS — Multiple tornado warnings and reports of confirmed tornadoes on the ground that raced through the metropolitan St. Louis causing damage to buildings and knocking out power to thousands of residents Friday.