Aerial view of the devastation left by tornado which flattened dozens of homes and ripped roof off Missouri airport injuring four with flying glass

This was the scene of devastation today left by a tornado which hit several counties in St Louis and tore off the roof of the city's International airport.

Almost 50,000 homes had power cuts as the storm flattened dozens of homes in Maryland Heights and Bridgeton and threw cars into the air. Miraculously only three people suffered minor injuries.

Five were taken to hospital with cuts and many more treated at Lambert airport after half the windows in the main terminal were blown out sending debris raining down on passengers.

The airport - crowded with travellers heading home for Easter - was so badly damaged it was shutdown on Saturday but was planning to run a reduced flight schedule by Sunday morning. For More Images >>>>>