ST. LOUIS — From promises of federal help to residents living in wrecked homes, news from the deadly tornado in ӣƵ continued to unfold Monday.
Here's a recap of key developments.
FEMA on the way. When will help arrive?
Federal officials on Wednesday will begin to assess tornado damage on the city's north side, as well as parts of ӣƵ County and surrounding areas.
Once the assessment is complete, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe will ask President Donald Trump to declare the tornado destruction a "major disaster." The declaration could help guide federal assistance to homeowners and renters whose properties were uninsured, among others.
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But it's not clear if or when help will be available. It can take weeks for FEMA to declare a major disaster after a governor asks for help.
In the meantime, Kehoe has asked Trump to release up to $5 million in immediate funding for the state's emergency response and debris removal.
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Tornado path's size, scale
The National Weather Service’s local forecast office on Monday released its damage survey, revealing that the tornado path was a mile in width at its peak and tracked for nearly 23 miles.
The EF-3 tornado produced wind speeds as high as 152 mph.
After developing quickly and touching down in Clayton, the tornado tracked across ӣƵ neighborhoods before crossing the Mississippi River. On the Illinois side of the river, it went through Granite City and Pontoon Beach before lifting alongside the campus of SIU Edwardsville.
The NWS said “further analysis will be done to determine whether this was one single tornado or multiple tornadoes,” since “it is possible that more than one tornadic circulation was involved.”
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Hawley: A 'test' for insurers
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley flew into ӣƵ on Monday and toured hard-hit areas of north ӣƵ.
Hawley, who led a recent Senate probe into insurance companies, said how the companies handle the ӣƵ storm "is a real acid test for them."
"Here is a good chance for them to pay up. I want to see these insurance companies pay out claims to these people," he said.
He also pledged to work with FEMA to secure federal dollars for residents who do not have homeowners insurance.
Last week, in his role as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Disaster Management, Hawley criticized insurance companies' claim handling during recent natural disasters.
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Staying in broken homes
Many residents in ӣƵ' hardest-hit neighborhoods are sitting tight and hunkering down in their badly damaged homes.
They say say it’s their only option. Many say they can't afford to leave. They worry about protecting their homes from looters, too.
Indeed, residents of low-income neighborhoods in north city may have the toughest climb to recovery.
“We’re staying,” said one resident, Brandon Williams. “We ain’t got much of a choice.”
Mayor Cara Spencer said building inspectors are examining all damaged residences but isn't condemning any structures at this point. Still, she warned people about the dangers of staying in damaged homes, urging them to use shelters set up by the Red Cross.
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Victim remembered as 'people person'
One of the five fatal victims from Friday's tornado was Delois Holmes, a mother of five and great-grandmother of eight who was killed when her house collapsed as she headed to the basement for cover.
Holmes, 70, lived in the house in the 4500 block of Cote Brilliante Avenue, in The Ville neighborhood, for more than four decades.
"Our home was her pride and joy," said her son Reginald Holmes, 36, who lived with his mother. "Now it's all gone."
Holmes was described as a "people person" who was always willing to help her neighbors and served as a surrogate mom of sorts to neighborhoods kids.
Other victims who have been identified are Patricia Penelton, a longtime cook and volunteer at Centennial Christian Church; and Juan Baltazar, owner of a Mexican street corn food truck. Friends and family have identified the victims in the days since the tornado. As of Monday afternoon, authorities had still not identified any of the dead.
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'Failure' with sirens
Mayor Cara Spencer said outdoor warning sirens were not deployed properly before the tornado, citing confusion over who was responsible for activating them.
She said there was "a failure, a human failure, a failure in protocol to get the sirens up and running."
Spencer said under a policy put in place in 2021, "it was not exceptionally clear about whose roles and responsibilities it was to do what."
She said she has now made clear that the Fire Department will have that responsibility.
Asked if anyone had been disciplined, Spencer said "we are still evaluating that" but didn't elaborate.
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Schools look to return to normal
Attendance was sparse Monday for 12 ӣƵ public schools that had to be relocated to other buildings because of the tornado. Inaccurate information and confusion about whether bus transportation would be available to students may have contributed to the low attendance.
Meanwhile, students in the Clayton School District are expected to return to class Tuesday after a one-day closure due to lingering power outages and storm debris. Captain Elementary and Wydown Middle schools could stay closed another day if power was not restored by 7 p.m. Monday.
In University City, power has been restored to University City High School and neighboring Jackson Park Elementary School, which were closed Monday. And Brentwood High School rescheduled its graduation ceremony to Wednesday.
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See drone footage of tornado damage to the Fountain Place, Academy, DeBaliviere Place, and Central West End neighborhoods of ӣƵ, one day after a May 16, 2025 tornado ripped through the region, as seen on May 17, 2025.
