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* Apparently, I barely missed a big tornado yesterday.
We were in southern Illinois for the weekend. We stayed at Rend Lake Resort and toured the wine country (I’m actually becoming converted to some Illinois wines).
After a late, great Sunday breakfast at the resort, we headed to the Metro East on I-64 when we came upon a nasty looking storm. Dark clouds were close to the ground with those scary “fingers” sticking out all over the place and it was raining like heck. Not. Good. I decided I had no choice but to try and push through and was more than relieved when we made it to the other side, considering CNN’s Internet warnings about impending doom for all. Turns out, not long after we passed, a tornado near Okawville knocked over some semi trucks and RV’s on 64.
* The Metro East was sunny and warm and we stopped to do some shopping. My former intern Barton Lorimor called and asked if I’d heard from Speaker Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown. I hadn’t and asked why. Brown lives in Washington, IL and Barton told me the town had been flattened by the storm. So I texted Brownie and he said he and his family were fine. They had to buy a generator, but other than that all was good for them. He did say that the local devastation was severe and he feared for his neighbors.
* This was a big one…
Weather officials were uncertain just how many confirmed tornadoes might have hit the region. But as of Sunday evening, the National Weather Service website listed reports of at least 77 — most of them in Illinois — although officials cautioned that in some cases there may have been multiple reports on the same storm.
At least six deaths were reported by early Monday morning. An 80-year-old man and his 78-year-old sister were killed when a tornado struck their farm outside New Minden, Ill., about 50 miles east of St. Louis. The man was found in a field about 100 yards from the home, and the woman was found under a pile of rubble, according to the Washington County coroner’s office.
A third person was killed in Washington, Ill., one of the hardest-hit towns, and three others were killed in Massac County in Southern Illinois, according to Melaney Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The details of the deaths were not available late Sunday.
Dozens of people were also injured in the town, which has 15,000 residents and is about halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. At least 35 people were taken to a hospital with injuries, according to a statement from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. There was also extensive damage in the nearby city of Pekin, which has about 34,000 people.
* Matt Dayoff has some photos of Washington on his Twitter page…
A nasty field of debris in Washington after Sunday's tornado. More photos: http://t.co/EarF1zk5xm pic.twitter.com/JotH6d79gY
— Matt Dayhoff (@MattDayhoff) November 18, 2013
* More from Washington…
Tears welled in Washington Mayor Gary Manier’s eyes and he struggled to speak during an impromptu news conference Sunday afternoon in the historic downtown square, which was not damaged.
“Devastating. A war zone,” he said of the affected area. “I walked through one of the hardest hit areas and four streets of homes are gone. … I couldn’t tell what street I was on.”
Early reports of looting throughout the city and a continued focus on recovery efforts led Washington police to set a daily curfew of 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. through next weekend, according to Illinois State Police Trooper Dustin Pierce. Proof of residency will be needed to get into the city.
The tornado ripped off the top floors of most of the 16 buildings at Georgetown Common Luxury Apartments, 4800 Georgetown Road.
Tammi Evans was uninjured in her basement apartment.
“I work third shift, so I was sleeping but then it hit so I just ducked,” she said. “It sounded like a train. It hit, and after, when it was safe, we just went to help others who were trapped.”
* From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today declared seven counties state disaster areas after severe storms generating tornadoes and high winds ripped across Illinois. Hundreds of homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people are without power, and numerous roads throughout the state have been closed by fallen trees and downed power lines. At least six people are reported dead and dozens more injured.
Later today, Governor Quinn will inspect damage on the ground in some of Illinois’ hardest hit communities: Washington, Diamond, Gifford, Brookport and New Minden. Counties included in the Governor’s declaration are: Champaign, Grundy, LaSalle, Massac, Tazewell, Washington and Woodford counties.
“Yesterday Illinois was hit extremely hard by deadly tornadoes that left many in a great deal of pain and loss,” Governor Quinn said. “Although we are still receiving reports of massive damage to communities across our state, we want to make sure people are getting the assistance and resources they need as quickly as possible. As we pray for the families of those who have lost their lives and others who are injured, the state of Illinois will do everything necessary to help these communities recover.”
The state disaster declaration makes available a wide variety of state resources that can help affected communities respond and recover from the storms. The state of Illinois has personnel and assets that can be mobilized to help local government officials with disaster recovery, including such things as trucks, heavy equipment to remove debris, communications equipment and provide assistance with security and other public safety issues.
The State Incident Response Center (SIRC) in Springfield was activated Sunday afternoon and will remain operational as long as necessary. Liaisons from several state agencies are working with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to coordinate the deployment of state personnel and assets to assist local governments in the affected areas.The state has dispatched technical rescue teams to a number of impacted locations across the state, and provided emergency generators, light towers and communications systems.
Discuss.
And if you know someone who needs more help, speak up. IEMA’s director called early this morning and wants to know where his agency can be of additional assistance.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 8:31 am
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My prayers are with those affected.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:11 am
Glad to hear Brownie and family are safe.
look at the trees and how they are stripped in the pics and you’ll see this was a bad one, most likely an F4 based on what I have seen.
Comment by Todd Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:27 am
Rich…..It would be interesting to read your thoughts on the Southern Illinois “Wine Country.” Was your visit down there worth your time?
Comment by JKD Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:32 am
Was in Bloomington-Normal yesterday. By late afternoon, everything on the east side along Veterans Parkway was without power, or had major generators. Storms were long past, but Sunday afternoon without power isn’t a good thing.
Tornadoes went both North and South, but early on, I was outside watching and you could hear this continuous rumble (like the proverbial freight train) and then the sky turned this ugly greenish tint, and at that, I was off to the basement. But no tornadoes - thank you!
Drove back North on I-39 and there was a lot of water in places. Washington (obviously), East Peoria, Pekin, and Roanoke areas all suffered damages.
Comment by Judgment Day Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:35 am
Rich, You really need to get further south for the good stuff. We can arrange a tour of the Union-Jackson County wineries later.
Focus is on Brookport right now. I believe the red cross is staging at the Baptist Church.
Right now it seems they need equipment, backhoes, bobcats, ect. Strong backs in the days to follow.
Comment by the Patriot Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:39 am
Rich,
Does the Illinois Emergency Management Agency have a list of best places to send money? Red Cross? I would like to give but want to make sure it’s going to the right place.
Comment by Pre Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:41 am
Rich, you are very lucky that you didn’t get caught up the that storm, which ended up as the New Minden EF4, and killed 2 people there. It started SW of Okawville, crossed I-55, then hit New Minden and Hoyleton. I am a certified spotter and storm chaser, and this was by far the strongest tornadic storm in southern Illinois.
Thought and prayers go out to those affected by all of these storms.
Comment by Rusty618 Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:42 am
===You really need to get further south for the good stuff===
We ended up about five miles north of Anna, which is pretty darned southern.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:43 am
oops…tornado crossed I-64, not I-55.
Comment by Rusty618 Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:43 am
There really wasn’t “looting throughout the city” yesterday in Washington, was there?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:50 am
You could hear the Tazewell storm roars from Mom & Dad’s front porch in rural Carlock, which was on the western-most edge of the storm.
Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:56 am
Word, I think they meant reports of looting coming from different locations throughout the city. Perhaps they got, say, 5 or 6 reports of someone picking up stuff that didn’t belong to them and those reports were spread out over the entire damage area.
Comment by Secret Square Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 9:59 am
Wordslinger–No looting in Washington.
I know several from Washington and the city is locked shut pretty tight… national guard is there and ID is necessary for anyone to enter the city. It’s a disaster, but pretty safe.
Comment by In the Middle Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 10:15 am
“Looting throughout the city” didn’t sound right. Bad writing, probably.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 10:20 am
Prayers for all those affected. the photos of the devastation are harrowing.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 10:23 am
Our home is fine…Two blocks from the big hit this morning we went out for gas and it looks worse…barely got back into town even with I.d. This will be a long road back for hundreds of families. Everyone’s prayers will help
Comment by steve brown Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 10:23 am
I’m sure the Red Cross is assisting all the areas hit, but you can also help Gifford, IL specifically. This was posted on a local radio station site:
The best way to help Gifford is with a monetary donation. Send monies to Gifford State Bank, Box 400, Gifford, IL 61847. All Gifford State Bank locations are accepting donations for the Gifford Tornado Relief Fund. Want to help or have a question about helping? Contact the Red Cross at (217) 351-5861. - See more at: http://wixy.com/gifford#sthash.aEuewhIg.dpuf
Comment by Huggybunny Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 11:05 am
My families thoughts and prayers are offered to all those effected by this tragedy, and I am pleased to hear the Governor’s Office and IEMA are trying their best to be there for all the families effected.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 11:14 am
I was in Brookport last night. While the destruction was massive, the out pouring of assistance was inspiring. Fire Depts, Ambulances, Law Enforcement, EMA assistance from every County, and most towns from Jackson-Williamson south, as well as from KY also. The Red Cross has set up a donation center in Metropolis. VOAD should be active in the area today, tho I have not made it back over there to know that for sure. Red Cross and Mercury One Org are set up and working in the Washington Co area. Any of these could use donations for assistance. and Thank You.
Comment by SO IL M Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 12:51 pm
Rich, I heard Greenview in Menard County was hit by a tornado too, but have not heard how much damage they have there. Rep Baur might know.
Comment by Mama Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:04 pm
My thoughts and prayers are also for the people who were affected by the tornado. I saw a picture of the damage this morning in the Chicago Sun Times, and it’s just devastation. I can’t make heads or tails of most of the stuff strewn all over the ground. It’s just debris and wood.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:14 pm
Hi Rich, glad you made it safe and sound! In Frankfort where my mom lives, there are several homes with roofs that have been partially torn off. Her house thankfully just has some shingle damage and torn window screens, but the neighbors weren’t so lucky. I hope IEMA is already in that area -since there is no power I can’t get in touch with my mom to know what’s going on. Her cell phone died this morning. Last estimate from ComEd has power restoration to be close to midnight tonight.
Comment by The KQ Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:21 pm
What a horribly sad, tragic day for Illinois yesterday. May the good Lord comfort and bless those who lost loved ones and friends in my beloved Home State, and to our Brothers and Sisters who suffered such massive Property damage. What’s also so amazing is how the tornadoes in Illinois touched down in so many regions of the State: far Southern, south Central, North Central, East Central, and as far North as the Frankfort area touchdown!
My wife and I had just left Church Services and were about a month away from Home when it hit, and hard!! We peered right into that ugly, dark front zooming toward us from the West/Southwest and a couple parts of those clouds were dipping down perilously, but thankfully no tornado shot down. In Lockport, though, a family member who’d just left Church with his family in Frankfort, but–Hallelujah–dodged that bullet there by maybe an hour, noted upon return into his Neighborhood that many residents’ homes did have Roof Antennas that were bent-up pretty badly by those powerful, gusty winds…!
And by the way, not much has been made of it regrettably, but our very own Governor Pat QUINN is to be tremendously commended for his thorough, quick response–and again, it’s intriguing how such tragedies bring folks together, as I actually watched Video of the Governor earlier today in
Washington, IL., as he proclaimed confidently that “we will prevail over” the tornado damage and heartache, and how we all need to come together as “family” now–with state Sen. Bill Brady firmly standing right behind him…!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 7:59 pm
Above: it FELT like a “month,” with that God-awful storm pounding down on us, but in my Comment above, it was meant to read “…about a mile away from Home…!!” (!)
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 8:01 pm
P.S.S. Forgot to mention it, but also prayers and thoughts go out for all those who suffered INjuries from the storm, and their loved ones…
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 8:09 pm
I have friends in Washington whose parents lost their home; others who had a lot of damage. My heart goes out to them.
On a lighter side, the next time you are in Southern Illinois, try the burgeoning craft beer industry. Scratch Brewery, near Ava, has been garnering national attention. There are several other nice microbrewers in the region as well.
Comment by G'Kar Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 11:55 pm
I live about 1 mile north of Steve Brown in Washington. (I use Peoria in my site nickname, since most formerly had no idea where Washington, IL is).
No damage at my home, thank goodness.
East Peoria Times-Courier editor Jeanette Kendall was eating breakfast at Washington Family Restaurant when tornado passed overhead. Link below to her firsthand account.
http://www.washingtontimesreporter.com/article/20131117/NEWS/131119251
Comment by JoeInPeoria Tuesday, Nov 19, 13 @ 9:29 am