Storm causes home to collapse, killing one person

OPDYKE, Ill. — Severe storms that raked southern and central Illinois with tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain were blamed Friday for a home collapse that killed one person and injured two others.

Jefferson County Coroner Eddie Jo Marks said the fatality happened near Opdyke, a tiny community east of Mount Vernon about 90 miles from St. Louis. Marks said he had few other details and was headed to the scene.

That collapse happened while the area was under a tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service, though it was not immediately clear whether a twister was responsible for destroying the home. A tornado was spotted two miles east of Opdyke about 1:30 p.m., the weather service said.

A message was left with Jefferson County Sheriff Roger Mulch.

Jackson County Emergency Management deputy coordinator Shawn Priddy said a tornado touched down briefly in rural areas about noon Friday. The storm was blamed for destroying a barn northeast of Elkville, in Jackson County.

Tornadoes also were reported in Clay, Marion and Perry counties.

Large hail — some measuring 2 inches — was reported to have pelted much of southern Illinois to the state’s southernmost tip along the Ohio River.