Chicago: Approximately 70 per cent of the
flights resumed operation at Lambert-St Louis International Airport in Missouri after a tornado struck the city destroying
around 750 homes and leaving five persons injured.
The tornado along with high winds about 170 mph hit the
city on Friday and was the worst that the area had witnessed
since 1967.
The airport was closed immediately after the storms
ripped off the roof of the main terminal and created panic
among passengers.
"We give tremendous credit to Ameren (utility company)
for restoring service to Lambert so that the Airport could
open just 24 hours after the devastating tornado," said
Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge in a statement released by the
airport.
"Thanks also has to go to the numerous crews and workers
who have worked with the Airport to clean up and make
emergency repairs to get where we are today," he said.
Eleven airlines had scheduled flights yesterday while
American Airlines will resume service from Lambert today.
Cape Airlines will be the last St Louis carrier to resume
flights which is scheduled to begin yesterday, the statement
said.
The tornado damaged 750 homes, Governor Jay Nixon said,
adding it`s absolutely amazing that it tore through an airport
and highly populated areas and there were no fatalities.
The twister had left behind "an incredible trail of
devastation," the National Weather Service said.
PTI
