Travel News

Damaged By Tornado, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Re-Opens

Locations in this article:  St. Louis, MO

Tornado Damages Lambert-St. Louis International AirportOfficials at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport say operations should be fully functional by Tuesday after being damaged by a massive tornado on Friday.

The historic airport is reported to be 85 percent operational with 200 of its 250 scheduled flights departing on Monday.

Most of the airport’s terminals and concourses have been reopened. Only Concourse C is still too damaged to be used by the public, and officials estimate repairs could take up to two months.

The tornado that hit Lambert Airport was one of several twisters reported in central and eastern Missouri on Friday night.

Friday’s twister was the most powerful documented in the St. Louis area in 44 years. The tornado was reported to have blazed a path of destruction 22 miles long.

Airport damage includes hundreds of panes of shattered glass at the main terminal, a shuttle bus blown on top of a roof, and a hole in the airport ceiling.

Several people sustained minor injures from shattered glass and debris caused by the tornado, but miraculously no travelers or employees were killed or seriously injured.

Security footage of the dramatic moment when the twister hit is making its way online. The footage shows TSA agents and travelers running for cover as the tornado blows through a concourse. You can check out the video below.

By Adriana Padilla for PeterGreenberg.com.

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