Tornadoes rip through Chicago-area, NW Indiana, killing 2 and leaving widespread damage

NEWTON COUNTY, Ind. – Two people were killed after at least four tornadoes touched down across parts of Illinois and Indiana during severe storms that moved through the Chicago area on Tuesday.

Tornadoes hit Illinois, Indiana

What we know:

Forecasters said the tornadoes were likely produced by the same supercell thunderstorm that tracked from near Pontiac, Illinois, through Kankakee County and into northwest Indiana before continuing toward Knox, Indiana. Suspected tornado touchdowns were reported near Pontiac, south of Kankakee, and in the communities of Lake Village and Wheatfield in Indiana.

Just before 7 p.m., an elderly couple died after their Lake Village home in the 8000 block of CR 600 West was struck and destroyed by a tornado. Several others in the area were “very injured,” officials announced during a press conference Wednesday morning. Indiana State Police said the couple’s identities will not be released until their family has been notified.

“Total devastation. There were houses that were collapsed. There were people trapped in houses. There’s livestock loose. Pretty much anything you can imagine you’ve seen before on newscasts, on videos — it’s out there,” said Rob Churchill, Lake Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Utility officials said the storms also caused extensive damage to the electrical system in Newton County, including about 70 damaged utility poles, hundreds of downed wires and significant tree damage, leaving thousands of customers without power.

Another tornado touched down in Kankakee about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and was on the ground on the north side of Hopkins Park, according to the National Weather Service. 

The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said the tornado touched down south of Kankakee near the Kankakee Fairgrounds and continued northeast, crossing the Kankakee River into Aroma Park.

Nine people across Kankakee County sustained minor injuries due to the storms. On Wednesday morning, Kankakee County officials said there had been no fatalities.

Residents and motorists are urged to limit travel because of downed power lines, trees and other debris.

Thousands of residents were hit with power outages in Kankakee and parts of northwest Indiana.

Those wishing to report property damage in Kankakee County can use this link.

The National Weather Service plans to send three storm survey teams into the field Wednesday to assess damage and confirm the tornadoes. Crews will focus on Kankakee County in Illinois, as well as Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana.

Region pelted by hail

Dig deeper:

Meteorologists said the same storm system also produced destructive hail across parts of the region.

The supercell responsible for the tornadoes dropped hail ranging from 2 to 4 inches in diameter along a path stretching from Pontiac to the Illinois-Indiana state line. A trained storm spotter in Kankakee reported a hailstone measuring 6 inches in diameter, which could become a new Illinois state record if it is officially verified.

A second supercell storm produced large hail from Bolingbrook to Darien, with stones measuring between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The largest reported hailstone from that storm measured 4.8 inches in Darien.

The National Weather Service said it is continuing to collect data and will provide additional updates as damage surveys and hail reports are verified.