Strong Storms Cause Damage in Northern Illinois

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Published on June 23 2015 8:57 am
Last Updated on June 23 2015 8:57 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Strong storms ripped through Illinois Monday night creating dangerous situations for people in central Illinois and south of Chicago.

According to the National Weather Service, a large tornado hit near Kankakee. The Weather Service went so far as to issue what they call a PDS alert, which stands for "particularly dangerous situation".

The agency says the storm crossed Interstate 55 in Grundy County, knocking down power lines. The downed power lines brought traffic on the interstate to a standstill.

There are also reports of damaged homes and homes that have been knocked off their foundations.

Earlier in the evening, crews reported a tornado in LaSalle County. That storm hit north of Ottawa, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Another hard-hit community was Coal City, located about 60 miles southwest of Chicago. Seven people were injured during that storm.

Governor Rauner activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield to ensure state personnel and equipment are ready to be quickly deployed if needed to help local emergency responders deal with the aftermath of the storms.