On Thursday a storm assaulted large regions in central US. In Illinois a tornado which hit several small towns led to the death of one person and killed 8 others.
According to Sheriff Roger A. Scott of DeKalb County 15 to 20 homes were destroyed in Fairdale. The twister hit the ground on Thursday around 7 PM. Matthew Knott of Rockford Fire Department declared that almost every building in the affected town faced a wreckage of some sort.
Gov. Bruce Rauner reported that two persons were found dead. Geraldine M. Schultz, a 67-year –old woman was found death on Thursday night insider her home, while 8 other people were taken to hospitals in the area. The second victim was 69-year-old Jacklyn Klosa. She was missing after the tornado hit, but on Friday morning, during a second search she was also found dead in her home.
Early on Friday the power was out in the town and all the residents were evacuated and sheltered at a nearby high school by the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Officials are confident that no more victims will be found and declared that they would do their best to account for every inhabitant.
According to the National Weather Service two tornadoes affected Illinois countries from north and central areas. Meteorologist Matt Friedlein explained that Thursday’s storm swept over the Ohio Valley and dumped snow in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Afterwards, on Friday morning, the storm system headed towards the Appalachian region.
Chad Connell, Fire District Chief of Kirkland Community observed the tornado heading towards Fairdale and described it by saying that he had never seen anything like that in his life. The same opinion was shared by Cathy Olson (Rochelle, Illinois) who observed the top of the funnel cloud and said it was absolutely huge. In Kirkland the debris on the roads was so thick that fire officials could not yet establish the damages and the injuries caused by the tornado.
In Ogle County another 20 homes were seriously damaged, but there were not deaths or significant injuries reported according to Sheriff Brian Van Vickle. However in Rochelle 12 persons were trapped in the storm cellar of a restaurant which collapsed. The people were saved after 90 minutes.
Aside from the material damage more than 850 flights were cancelled at the O’Hare International Airport (Chicago) on Thursday. Several flights were cancelled at the Chicago Midway International Airport too. On Friday the situation improved: only 90 flights were cancelled at the two airports and some delays were expected.
Image Source: Daily Mail
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