**St. Louis Faces Ongoing Recovery Efforts After Devastating EF-3 Tornado**

ST. LOUIS – Sunday morning found nearly 50,000 residents in the metro St. Louis area, especially in the north part of the city, coping with power outages and assessing the extensive damage wrought by the ferocious EF-3 tornado that struck on Friday. With winds reaching approximately 150 miles per hour, the tornado left a significant mark on the city. The previous day, outages had affected nearly 100,000 buildings, according to Ameren's outage map.

The severe storms and tornadoes are believed to have caused five fatalities and more than 30 injuries across the region. The city faces a daunting cleanup task, with reports estimating that around 5,000 structures were damaged. A curfew that had been enforced from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the most impacted areas was lifted on Sunday morning.

Shelters have become a refuge for affected residents, with at least one reaching its capacity due to the overwhelming need. In response, numerous relief groups have stepped up, actively seeking donations to support recovery efforts.

A poignant closure is the Saint Louis Zoo, which announced it would remain closed on Sunday due to damage sustained during the storm. This adds further strain on a community already grappling with significant losses.

To compound the residents' woes, weather forecasts predict more severe weather for Monday. The day is expected to start with showers, heat up as it progresses, and potentially bring more storms, including the possibility of additional tornadoes. Residents are bracing for what could be another damaging weather event just as they begin to rebuild.