Kankakee County, Illinois, United States– A powerful tornado struck parts of Kankakee County in northern Illinois late Tuesday, damaging buildings, downing trees and power lines, and leaving communities assessing the aftermath of a broader severe weather outbreak across the U.S. Midwest, according to local authorities and the National Weather Service.
The tornado touched down near the Kankakee fairgrounds, about 57 miles south of Chicago, before tracking northeast toward Aroma Park, where officials reported extensive structural damage and debris across several neighborhoods. The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said residents were urged to avoid unnecessary travel because of downed power lines and blocked roads.
Emergency services responded to reports of damaged homes, uprooted trees and infrastructure disruptions. Authorities said some residents suffered minor injuries, but no fatalities were reported in Kankakee County as of Wednesday morning.
Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Chicago said a series of intense supercell thunderstorms moved through northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana on Tuesday, generating multiple tornadoes across the region.
The same storm system produced unusually large hail in the Kankakee area, with one hailstone measured at about six inches in diameter, which could challenge the Illinois state record if confirmed, according to weather officials.
Damage extended beyond Illinois. In neighboring northwestern Indiana, the storm spawned additional tornadoes that destroyed homes and killed two people in Lake Village, authorities said.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said state emergency management officials were coordinating with local authorities to assist affected communities following the storms.
Forecasters warned that the broader storm system, fueled by warm, moisture-rich air from the Gulf of Mexico and an advancing cold front, could continue to produce severe weather as it moves eastward across the United States.
The situation remains under investigation.
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