Tornadoes Leave Trails of Damage Across Illinois and Indiana as Residents Face Cleanup, Outages and Shattered Homes

Storms leave neighborhoods torn open

Residents across parts of Illinois and Indiana were facing the damage on Friday after a strong line of storms swept through communities south of Chicago, IL, ripping roofs from buildings, flattening homes and knocking down trees and power lines.

The storms hit Thursday and left trails of destruction in several towns. Tornado damage was reported in Merrillville, IN, Hebron, IN, and Streator, IL. Authorities were surveying the damage Friday and preparing emergency declarations needed to obtain recovery funding.

There were no reports of deaths or life-threatening injuries, officials said. Several people were treated for minor injuries.

Roofs were gone. Streets were blocked. Power lines lay across roads.

Cleanup crews were working through damaged neighborhoods while utility companies warned that power restoration efforts could extend into next week.

Merrillville hit hard as roofs are torn away

In Merrillville, IN, about 33 miles southeast of Chicago, IL, town officials said more than 200 buildings were damaged, including some that were destroyed. The tornado tore roofs off three apartment buildings, knocked down trees, broke car windshields and brought heavy rain that caused further damage to homes.

Part of a high school roof was ripped off. Downed trees and power lines blocked streets. Multiple agencies helped local first responders search and assess damaged areas, and crews worked into the night clearing roads.

The American Red Cross set up a 700-bed shelter.

For Marsha Smith, 54, the storm arrived with a sound she described as a freight train smashing into her apartment building. She had been inside when the tornado struck. She and several neighbors huddled under an indoor stairwell, holding hands and praying.

Marsha Smith: “The louder the tornado got, the louder I started praying."

Marsha Smith: “I said, ’Oh God it’s here.′ I said, ’Lord Jesus make it pass, let it pass, let it pass over. I said, ’God give us the strength to make it through this.’ And it just started wrecking."

Smith said there was an eerie calm just before the tornado hit. By Friday morning, she was looking over a neighborhood she described as a catastrophe. She said she was thankful no one was hurt.

Streator reports destroyed homes and minor injuries

In Streator, IL, a manufacturing and farm city about 100 miles southwest of Chicago, IL, emergency crews were inspecting damaged areas after the tornado moved through.

Officials said nearly a dozen homes were damaged, including some that were destroyed. A reunification center for displaced residents was set up in city hall, and the Red Cross opened a shelter.

Streator Mayor Tara Bedei said no deaths had been reported.

Tara Bedei: “We are incredibly grateful for the safety of our residents and the quick action of emergency personnel."

Officials said four people were treated at a hospital for minor injuries.

Hebron crews work through the night

First responders in Hebron, IN, a small town about 50 miles southeast of Chicago, IL, also worked through the night, officials said in a Facebook post.

Damage assessments were underway Friday. Photos and videos posted on social media from Hebron and Streator showed destruction similar to the damage in Merrillville.

The National Weather Service said tornadoes hit those areas as well. Survey teams were working to determine exactly how many tornadoes touched down.

A tree limb crashes through a roof in Elkhart

Farther east, in Elkhart, IN, Jennifer Hall was in her garage Thursday evening as winds and rain intensified. Then came the crash.

A tree limb had gone through the roof of her rental home. Rain began coming through the hole, and she used buckets to catch the water.

Jennifer Hall: “I’m just nervous because it’s just been one thing after another."

Hall said she had recently had surgery and that her husband was out of town.

Power outages stretch across two states

The tornadoes followed severe storms that swept through the Midwest on Wednesday, knocking out power, damaging buildings and canceling flights.

On Friday afternoon, nearly 180,000 power outages remained in Illinois, down from more than 200,000 earlier in the day. In Indiana, nearly 115,000 homes and businesses were still without power, down by a few thousand from earlier Friday, according to poweroutage.us.

Commonwealth Edison, a major electricity provider in Illinois, said it expected to restore 80 percent of outages from Wednesday’s storms by Saturday night and 80 percent of outages from Thursday’s storms by Sunday night.

In Indiana, NIPSCO said it was working to restore power as fast as possible but did not provide a timeline.

Airports disrupted as storms hit major travel routes

The storms also caused major air traffic disruptions. Flights were delayed or halted Thursday at airports in several cities, including Chicago, IL, Philadelphia, PA, and New York, NY.

On Friday, dozens of flights were canceled or delayed at Chicago’s O’Hare International and Midway International airports, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website.

Parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic were also dealing with high heat and humidity as the storm system affected travel across a wide region.

Main impacts reported after the tornadoes

• Tornado damage reported in Merrillville, IN, Hebron, IN, and Streator, IL
• More than 200 buildings damaged in Merrillville, including destroyed structures
• Nearly a dozen homes damaged in Streator, including some destroyed
• No reported deaths or life-threatening injuries
• Several people treated for minor injuries, including four in Streator
• Roofs ripped off buildings, trees and power lines brought down, and streets blocked
• Nearly 180,000 outages in Illinois and nearly 115,000 outages in Indiana on Friday afternoon
• Power restoration efforts expected to extend into next week in some areas
• Dozens of flight cancellations and delays at Chicago’s major airports on Friday

What officials and residents said

Marsha Smith: “The louder the tornado got, the louder I started praying."

Marsha Smith: “I said, ’Oh God it’s here.′ I said, ’Lord Jesus make it pass, let it pass, let it pass over. I said, ’God give us the strength to make it through this.’ And it just started wrecking."

Tara Bedei: “We are incredibly grateful for the safety of our residents and the quick action of emergency personnel."

Jennifer Hall: “I’m just nervous because it’s just been one thing after another."

Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Published by: Weather U.S. | About Us