advertisement

5 tornadoes touched down when storms swept Illinois

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - Storms that moved across western and central Illinois earlier this week spawned at least five tornadoes.

The National Weather Service says its damage surveys show tornadoes touched down Tuesday evening near Curran, Good Hope, Kickapoo and Trivoli, Moline and Peoria. The storms passed through the state around the time that polls were closing in the Illinois primary election.

Weather service forecasters say hail was common and they had nearly 60 reports of quarter-size hail or larger. The tornadoes brought wind speeds of up to 130 mph in some areas.

Authorities in Rock Island County say the tornado there sent ten people to hospitals but none had life-threatening injuries. About 40 homes were damaged.

In the Springfield area a couple and their 1-year-old son escaped when a tornado destroyed their home.

High winds down power lines, trees

Hail, high winds cause damage in Illinois

The exterior wall of a structure is destroyed after severe weather passed the area Tuesday, March 15, 2016, in Springfield, Ill. Storms that moved across western and central Illinois Tuesday spawned at least five tornadoes. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP)
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.