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2 killed as 4 potential tornadoes wreak havoc, leave thousands without power in Indiana, Illinois
Tornadoes in Kankakee County, Illinois, and Indiana have resulted in two deaths and extensive damage.
Suspected tornadoes have caused significant destruction in Kankakee County, Illinois, and extended into neighboring Indiana on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of two persons.
The storms also generated hail measuring between two to four inches, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS stated that the largest hailstone recorded was six inches in diameter, which fell in Kankakee. Furthermore, the NWS said that this hailstone could potentially set a state record for Illinois.
Several houses damaged
In a Facebook post, Newton County Sheriff S.L. Cothran said in a video that the community of Lake Village experienced a tornado the evening of March 10. “Several houses have been hit, a lot of damage,” Cothran stated.
In a separate video shared by the sheriff's office, Chief Rob Churchill of the Lake Township Volunteer Fire Department stated that several homes were devastated when Lake Village “took a direct hit.”
The sheriff and the fire chief urged the public to avoid the area while emergency responders are active.
In a press conference, officials from the Lake Township Fire Department confirmed the death of two persons. Lake Village is located approximately 125 miles northwest of Indianapolis and 60 miles south-southeast of Chicago.
Four suspected tornadoes wreak havoc as rescue operation underway
According to the NWS, a supercell, which traveled from Pontiac, Illinois to Pontiac, Indiana, produced at least four tornadoes in Pontiac and south of Kankakee in Illinois, as well as in Lake Village and Wheatfield in Indiana.
On Wednesday, the NWS will dispatch survey teams to the affected region to assess the damage, ABC& reported.
Search teams worked late into the night, searching for people who may have been trapped due to the storm damage as severe weather impacted the Kankakee area.
The mayor of Kankakee said that seven persons sustained injuries following the storm.
Aroma Park, particularly along Sandbar Road, was among the areas most severely affected.
The dangerous weather system swept through the region, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The intense storms, accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds, caused at least six power lines to be snapped in half due to the force of the gusts.
Meanwhile, ComEd reported that approximately 27,000 customers were affected by the storm, with power restored to nearly all except for around 4,000 customers. The majority of those without power were located in Kankakee County.
