Chicago, March 11, 2026 – The Europe Today: More than 77 million people across the United States Midwest and southern Plains were placed under tornado warnings on Wednesday after several apparent twisters caused significant damage in parts of Illinois and Indiana.
According to media reports, northern Illinois remained at the highest risk, with a “moderate” tornado threat affecting around two million residents in cities south and east of Chicago, including Joliet, Peoria and Bloomington. A marginal risk area also extended as far south as Texas and Tennessee.
Authorities declared a tornado emergency in Knox, Indiana, on Tuesday as severe weather swept through the region. The National Weather Service warned residents that the situation was life-threatening and urged them to seek immediate shelter.
The powerful weather system brought strong storms and heavy rainfall across several areas. In the Chicago region, high winds and hailstones the size of golf balls were reported, while flood warnings were issued along rivers in Illinois and Indiana.
Power outages were also reported widely, with more than 12,000 energy customers left without electricity across the Midwest and around 23,000 across the Great Lakes region on Wednesday morning, according to PowerOutage.us.
Officials said there was significant but still unquantified damage across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, including to homes, buildings and road infrastructure.
Kankakee County, located south of Chicago, declared a state of emergency as local officials and sheriff’s deputies carried out search and rescue operations and damage assessments. Authorities said no deaths had been confirmed so far.
