Three Reported Dead As Tornadoes Rip Through Midwest

At least three people have reportedly been killed in the Midwest, authorities say, as a result of severe thunderstorms that produced up to two dozen tornadoes in six states.

The bad weather is affecting up to 45 million people across the U.S. from OH to Texas.

The National Weather Service reported one fatality from a “large and powerful tornado” that hit the city of Ottawa, southwest of Chicago in north-central IL, at 4:45 p.m., according to NBC Chicago.

Another witness says she could see tractor trailers on their side was she was driving down the road. His passenger was not harmed.

The February tornado was a rarity in hard-hit Illinois, NWS meteorologist Amy Seeley told Reuters, although several January tornadoes had struck the area in 2008.

Before Tuesday, there had only been one tornado reported in northern IL during the month of February since 1950, according to the National Weather service. They will develop ahead of a cold front that will push east across the area overnight.

“Portions of houses have been destroyed. a lot of power lines down and numerous gas leaks”, said Dave Gualandri, captain of investigations at Ottawa police department.

Buildings are heavily damaged, including a nursing home that had walls blown in and the roof ripped off. In the small community of Naplate, next to Ottawa, about a quarter of the roughly 200 homes were damaged, Fire Chief John Nevins said.

The highway has been closed due to storm damage.

Hail fell so quickly that motorists had to pull over and stop in Missouri.

Electricity has been restored to the area of around 800 people, Riley said, but homes remained without gas on Wednesday morning.