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Mayor Cara Spencer and other city officials confirmed the five fatalities late Friday. Rescue personnel planned to continue searching buildings across the city.

Police dispatchers received at least 16 calls to 911 reporting collapsed buildings in St. Louis between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., according to a system that tracks 911 calls.

The calls show the extent of damage through north St. Louis, extending north of Delmar and Union boulevards to Shreve Avenue and Interstate 70.

"This is truly, truly devastating," Spencer said.

The National Weather Service was investigating reports of tornadoes from multiple locations, including Clayton and St. Louis, where the damaged areas included Forest Park, the Central West End and large swaths of north city.

Based on the radar, “it definitely looked like a tornado that went through north city,� said Jayson Gosselin, a local NWS meteorologist.

He said the radar showed “really strong rotation� of a storm that appeared to pick up debris and loft it thousands of feet in the air. That part of the storm “spun out pretty quick,� Gosselin said, adding that it only lasted for about 5 to 10 minutes.

In the aftermath, tens of thousands of residents in the region lost power. Tree limbs littered streets in several cities. Massive trees crushed cars, fences and powerlines.

One of the deaths came at Centennial Christian Disciples of Christ church, near Kingshighway and Fountain Avenue in St. Louis, where the steeple toppled onto the front walkway and the roof collapsed.

Two people were rescued from the building, but a third person was found dead after a search. Church members said the victim was a beloved cook, known to provide food for the homeless and neighborhood residents.

"She was selfless," said Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard.

The church earlier in the day had conducted a food and and supply giveaway, as it often does for the neighborhood.

Centennial Christian has been a staple in the neighborhood for 80 years, Clark Hubbard said.

"It's an amazing anchor for the community," she said.

The Rev. Derrick Perkins, who stepped down as pastor recently to take a national post, was at the scene and spoke to the two rescued people, who were not seriously injured.

"They're just happy to be alive and we're happy they can reach their families and start to move down the road to recovery," Perkins said.

Lisa Simmons, 63, who has lived across the street from the church for about 30 years, was away when the storm hit. She arrived to find her home, the second floor of a duplex, had disappeared.

The bedroom her son, 36, slept in has no walls.

“Everything is gone,� she said.

Not far from the church, local resident Terran Dampier said the high winds quickly turned dangerous. She watched as the roof of her home, in the 4800 block of Fountain Avenue, was blown off and the top floor of a neighboring building was torn away.

"This is something I've never seen in my entire life," a tearful Dampier said. "To say I'm scared is an understatement ... I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do."

Every car along Euclid Avenue, from Delmar Boulevard north to the Fountain Park area, was damaged by the storm. One was flipped upside down. Multiple houses were hit, some with their roofs blown off.

“I was in the back bedroom right there when I heard ‘the train whistle’,� said Michael Brann, staring at the missing back half of his rental house.

He was headed for the basement when the storm hit. “All I heard was a big crash,� he said.

Everyone inside, including a 4-month-old baby, escaped safely.

About 20 people were inside the Harlem Taproom, in the 4100 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, when the storm leveled the upper stories, leaving a heap on the first floor. Wood, bricks and debris collapsed in a pile, creating a void where the interior used to be.

But nobody was hurt, as the group huddled in the back of the building as the storm descended.

“We know what to do during storms,� said Ricky Matthews, the owner's nephew.

Kimberly Mims was in her car at Delmar Boulevard and Kingshighway when the storm rolled through.

“God is good. He spared my life,� she said. "My car spun around three times. It lifted me up and put me down.�

Aldermen in north St. Louis reported significant property damage across broad swaths of their wards.

Alderwoman Laura Keys, of the O’Fallon neighborhood, said the back of her century-old home was severely damaged, and her block was littered with debris and downed trees.

“This is bad," she said. "And it has really just devastated this side of town."

Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, of Kingsway East, said residents grabbed their chainsaws to cut up fallen trees, and people who hang out on corners started directing traffic.

“Everybody’s pitching in,� Tyus said, “so I’m really proud of that."

In Clayton, a "sizeable area" of the city sustained downed trees and other damage, according to a press release. But there were no confirmed reports of injuries.

The area with damage is roughly bordered by South Brentwood Road, Skinker Boulevard, Forsyth Boulevard and Clayton Road.Ìý

Zoo and Shakespeare Festival

The St. Louis Zoo closed Friday afternoon because of damage, including several downed trees, and will remain closed on Saturday. Other parts of Forest Park also saw toppled trees and other damage.

Meanwhile, the stage for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' upcoming show "Hamlet" was severely damaged. The custom-painted backdrop was torn off and a lighting tower fell over damaging lights.

Tom Ridgley, executive producer for the festival, says that the stage has never been severely damaged since he joined the festival in 2018.

Despite the damage, the festival is committed to putting on the show.

"This may delay tech rehearsal," Ridgely said, but he was fairly certain it wouldn't delay performances, which begin May 28.

Nassim Benchaabane, Ethan Colbert, Namratha Prassad, Hannah Wyman, Austin Huguelet, Rosalind Early, Bryce Gray, Katie Kull, Michael Hamtil, Christian Gooden, Laurie Skrivan and Beth O'Malley of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this story.ÌýÌý