The HNIC must take the time to truly consider himself lucky to be alive, like thousands of others here in my hometown of St. Louis. All I can do is thank the Lord Almighty for His mercy.

ST. LOUIS • A series of tornadoes stirred by a powerful, fast-moving storm caused significant damage in the St. Louis metropolitan area, flattening homes in Sunset Hills and leaving thousands without power.

Miraculously, there were no fatalities reported in the St. Louis area, only minor injuries.

The State Emergency Management Agency, however, confirmed three deaths statewide — two in Dent County, one in Phelps — from the storm. All three victims, an agency spokesman said, were in mobile homes when the storm hit.

The storm also caused critical injury to an individual in Phelps County, along with multiple minor injuries across the state.

“These were tornadoes,” confirmed National Weather Service meteorologist Wes Browning in Weldon Spring.

There were reports of hail up to one inch in diameter and wind gusts up to 60 mph in the path of the storm, Browning said.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency in response to the severe weather.

You can watch the video here:

[flowplayer src=http://headnubianincharge.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Tornado-tears-through-St.-Louis-airport.flv]