The Midwest, particularly the Chicago area, was hit by a series of severe storms on Monday night, including multiple confirmed tornadoes, causing widespread damage and power outages. The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed at least five tornadoes touched down in the Chicagoland area, with 29 potential tornado tracks currently under investigation. Among these was a rare EF-1 tornado that touched down on Chicago’s Near West Side and Loop, with wind gusts up to 110 miles per hour.The storms have left a trail of destruction, uprooting trees, shattering windows, and causing significant property damage. As of Tuesday afternoon, over 215,000 people in Illinois were reported to be without power. The Chicago Department of Aviation reported that a plane was blown off the runway at Midway Airport during the storms.In southern Illinois, a dam near Nashville is at risk of failing after heavy rainfall, prompting the evacuation of around 300 residents. The National Weather Service warned of potential ‘life-threatening flash flooding,’ and an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 64 was closed due to flooding.The severe weather has resulted in at least one fatality, with a woman in Indiana dying after a tree fell on her home. The Chicago Fire Department reported one serious injury in the city.ComEd, the main electricity provider in the Chicago area, expects to restore 80% of outages by 3 pm on Wednesday and the remaining 20% by 6 pm on Friday. The National Weather Service continues to survey the damage to identify additional tornado tracks and assess the full extent of the storm’s impact.
Key points
- At least five tornadoes confirmed in the Chicago area, with 29 potential tracks under investigation.
- Over 215,000 people in Illinois left without power due to the severe storms.
- A dam in southern Illinois at risk of failure, prompting evacuation of around 300 residents.
- At least one fatality reported in Indiana due to the storms.
Contradictions👾Some sources report ‘at least 10 tornadoes’ in the Chicago area, while others confirm ‘at least five’.
This discrepancy likely stems from the ongoing investigation of 29 potential tornado tracks.
