Count of Storm-Damaged Homes in Illinois Expected to Grow

State officials now say that at least 900 homes in Illinois were either destroyed or badly damaged by the tornado outbreak on Nov. 17. And that figure is likely to grow.

Patti Thompson is a spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. She said that the agency doesn’t have anything close to a full count of the homes affected in Washington, which was hardest hit by the storms.

Washington’s mayor said that about 1,000 homes received some sort of damage or were destroyed entirely.

The tornado that tore through the central Illinois town had 190 mph winds and was on the ground for 46 miles.

Thompson says Federal Emergency Management Agency workers were expected to begin damage assessments for federal help on Thursday.

The National Weather Service says at least 15 tornadoes hit Illinois.