ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Demographics experts warn that the city may have lost thousands of residents moving out of their homes following the May 16 tornado, losses that could continue without action from city and state leaders.

Ness Sandoval, a St. Louis University Professor who studies population trends in the region, told FirstAlert4 this week that he estimates that approximately 3,500 people left the city after the initial shock of the tornado.

However, Sandoval said the city could continue to see losses as neighborhoods move into what he described as the “aftershock” phase.

“We’re in the middle of the story of what the aftershock is. It may be small, but it may be larger than the initial demographic shock,” Sandoval said.

Sandoval said that natural disasters tend to accele

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