Multiple Tornadoes Hit the Midwest; One Killed in Missouri

December 3, 2018

The National Weather Service says multiple tornadoes touched down in central Illinois, damaging dozens of structures, downing power lines and injuring at least 20 people.

Meteorologist Chris Geelhart says the twisters occurred in the evening on Dec. 1 along the Illinois River and near Springfield.

The NWS said initial storm surveys have indicated at least 18 tornadoes occurred across the state, the largest December outbreak since 1957.

One of the towns hardest hit was Taylorville, about 25 miles southeast of Springfield. A Taylorville Memorial Hospital spokesman said 21 people, from age 9 to 97, arrived for treatment Saturday. Most were discharged within hours.

Geelhart says three people were transferred to a Springfield hospital in critical condition.

Taylorville Assistant Fire Chief Andy Goodall, who spoke to reporters Saturday night after the storms raked the city of 11,000, said at least 100 homes had major damage, including his own.

Gov. Bruce Rauner activated the State Emergency Operations Center in response to the storms. Several agencies report to the operations center, including the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Department of Public Health and the American Red Cross.

According to the NWS, initial surveys show 34 homes severely damaged/destroyed, 66 homes with major damage, and 406 homes damaged but inhabitable in Illinois.

Authorities in southwestern Missouri say the strong storms that swept the region left one person dead.

Aurora Fire Chief Robert Ward tells television station KYTV that one person inside an Aurora motel just off Highway 39 was killed as a storm passed through. Authorities have not released the person’s name or details of how the death occurred. Investigators say others inside the motel escaped unharmed.

Several roads, including U.S. 60 between Aurora and Marionville, were closed because of downed power lines. A hospital in Aurora briefly lost power.

A strong line of storms in the area early Saturday led to several tornado warnings in the area. The National Weather Service has confirmed at least one weak tornado touched down at Monett, which is about 13 miles (21 kilometers) west of Aurora. Officials say the EF-0 tornado damaged several roofs, but no injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service confirmed tornadoes in Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois and was working to verify reports of tornadoes in Arkansas.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Illinois Missouri

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