CHICAGO — Severe thunderstorms and multiple tornadoes continued to batter parts of the Midwest on Thursday, leaving at least one person dead, widespread property damage and power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of customers across several states.
The National Weather Service and local officials reported tornadoes touching down in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and other areas as part of a multi-day outbreak that began earlier in the week. Preliminary data from the Storm Prediction Center indicated more than a dozen tornadoes on Thursday alone, with additional reports of large hail and damaging winds.
In Iowa, a 54-year-old man died Wednesday after a tree fell on him at a homeless encampment in Des Moines during strong storms, police said. No other fatalities were immediately confirmed from Thursday’s storms, though officials continued to assess damage in affected communities.
Significant structural damage was reported in central Illinois, including the town of Streator, where a tornado caused roofs to be torn off homes and left debris scattered across neighborhoods, according to local authorities and video footage. Similar damage occurred in parts of northwest Indiana, where officials described a direct hit on the town of Lake Village.
Power outages surged past 400,000 customers at one point across the region, utility companies reported. Restoration efforts were underway Friday, with some providers aiming for substantial recovery by Saturday evening.
AccuWeather and other forecasters said the recent days produced nearly two dozen tornadoes and hundreds of severe weather reports across the central United States. Environmental groups and residents in some areas noted risks from flash flooding in addition to the wind and hail threats.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s office and state emergency management officials activated response teams and urged residents to heed warnings. “We are working closely with local partners to support recovery efforts in impacted communities,” a state spokesperson said in a statement.
The outbreaks follow a pattern of active severe weather this spring and early summer across the Plains and Midwest. Meteorologists attributed the conditions to a combination of atmospheric instability, wind shear and moisture, though specific forecasts for ongoing activity were under continuous monitoring.
As of Friday morning, cleanup operations continued in hardest-hit areas while forecasters warned of lingering risks for isolated severe storms. Details on the full extent of damage and any additional injuries remained under assessment by local, state and federal authorities.
