Severe storms with tornado reports whip through Midwest, killing 1, cutting power to 460K

CHICAGO (news agencies) — Storms spawning multiple tornado reports blew through Iowa, Illinois — including Chicago — and Indiana on Monday, downing trees and power poles and cutting power to more than 460,000 customers and businesses. A woman in Indiana died after a tree fell onto a home, authorities said.

The 44-year-old woman died Monday night in Cedar Lake, Indiana, the Lake County Coroner’s office said.

There were some tornado reports, but damaging winds in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana were the main concern, Roger Edwards, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, said. There were numerous wind gusts in the 75 mph (120 kph) to 90 mph (145 kph) range and a report of a 101 mph (162 kph) wind gust in Ogle County, Illinois, Edwards said.

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado hit Des Moines, Iowa, as storms rolled through Monday afternoon and into the night. Des Moines police were responding to calls about utility poles that had apparently snapped in two.

The storms then moved east into northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, which saw multiple tornado warnings, wind and drenching rain. Multiple tornadoes were reported along the line of storms that moved through the city, according to the National Weather Service, which planned to survey a number of areas following the reports.

Nearly 390,000 customers were left without power in northern Illinois alone, according to poweroutage.us.

“There are numerous reports of power lines down throughout the city as a result of this evening’s storm,” the police department in Joliet, Illinois, posted online Monday night. “Many roadways are partially or completely blocked by trees or tree branches.” The city is about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.

The National Weather Service in Chicago had to take cover for a time and later reported extensive damage in the city. The agency reported wind speeds in the region of up to 75 mph (120 kph).

A flash flood warning also was issued in the Chicago area into early Tuesday. No major flooding damage was reported through Tuesday morning.

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport reported 81 flight cancellations as of Tuesday morning and Midway International Airport reported eight cancellations.