A powerful storm system swept across parts of Illinois and Indiana Tuesday night, spawning multiple tornadoes and unusually large hail that left communities damaged, injured several people and claimed two lives.
The severe weather produced at least four suspected tornadoes as a supercell thunderstorm tracked across northern Illinois and into northwestern Indiana, according to the National Weather Service. Officials say the storm caused extensive destruction across several towns, particularly in Kankakee County, Illinois, and in Lake Village, Indiana.
The two fatalities occurred in Lake Village, where authorities reported that an elderly couple was killed after a tornado struck their home late Tuesday evening. Emergency responders conducted overnight search-and-rescue operations in the area, working in darkness and hazardous conditions to locate survivors among the debris. Several others were seriously injured, though officials say fewer than 10 people suffered critical injuries.
The tornado carved a destructive path of roughly 3.5 miles through the town, damaging homes and trapping residents beneath collapsed structures. Some victims were rescued from destroyed buildings, while others were found injured along storm-damaged roads or inside vehicles struck by falling branches and debris.
In Illinois, Kankakee County also experienced heavy damage, though no deaths were reported. Local officials confirmed that nine people were injured as powerful winds and suspected tornadoes swept through the area. Several residents had to be pulled from damaged homes, and buildings across the region—including barns and farm structures—were heavily damaged or destroyed.
The storm system also brought extraordinary hail to the region. The National Weather Service reported hailstones ranging from two to four inches in diameter in several communities. One hailstone measuring six inches across fell in Kankakee and could potentially become the largest hailstone ever recorded in Illinois if confirmed by meteorologists.
Elsewhere in the Chicago area, storms produced hail nearly five inches in diameter in suburbs such as Darien, Bolingbrook, Woodridge and Downers Grove. Residents described the hail pounding vehicles and buildings with tremendous force, shattering windows and forcing drivers to pull off roads to seek shelter.
The severe weather also knocked out power for thousands of residents across the region. Utility companies reported widespread outages, with some communities facing damaged power lines and downed utility poles. Many customers had their electricity restored by early Wednesday, though some areas remained without power as crews continued repair efforts.
Emergency shelters were opened for residents displaced by the storms, including locations at Kankakee Community College in Illinois and North Newton High School in Indiana.
National Weather Service survey teams are expected to spend several days assessing the damage and confirming the number and strength of the tornadoes that touched down during the storm system, which traveled roughly 100 miles across the region.
Officials say recovery efforts are ongoing as communities begin the process of cleaning up debris and rebuilding after the destructive storm.
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