Surveys Confirm EF-3, EF-1 Tornadoes, Over 100,000 Still Without Power In Illinois

The National Weather Service has confirmed several tornadoes in central Illinois and northwest Indiana on Thursday night, including a strong tornado that hit Streator. The storms damaged and destroyed homes, delayed and canceled flights, and left roughly 175,000 ComEd customers still without power as of Friday morning.

Tornadoes were also confirmed in Merrillville and Hebron, Indiana.

NWS said damage surveys will be conducted over the coming days to determine the number of tornadoes and their intensity.

On Friday afternoon, NWS said its survey team found damage from an EF-3 tornado in Kouts, Indiana, east of Merrillville.

Survey teams also found EF-3 damage in Streator and damage from an EF-1 tornado in Bartlett.

NWS said surveyors confirmed an EF-1 tornado near Dwight, which mainly hit open fields, limiting the number of structures affected.

The EF, or Enhanced Fujita scale, measures the intensity of tornadoes, ranging from EF-0 for a weak tornado of 65 to 85 mph to an EF-5, a very strong tornado with winds of over 200 mph. An EF-3 tornado has winds of 136 to 160 mph.

Heavy rainfall from storms also led to flooding in parts of northern Illinois, NWS said.

Homes Destroyed In Streator

Thursday night, NWS confirmed a tornado that struck Streator. Despite widespread damage, Mayor Tara Bedei said no deaths had been reported, adding, "We are incredibly grateful for the safety of our residents and the quick action of emergency personnel, both in Streator and regionally."

An update Thursday night from the City of Streator urged residents to avoid impacted areas and allow emergency personnel to do their work. Utility crews were on the scene, including Nicor and ComEd, assisting with cleanup efforts.

In an update Friday morning, Streator officials said damage assessment continued, but preliminary findings showed that 11 homes were damaged, with several sustaining severe damage or complete destruction.

Four people were taken to OSF Center for Health in Streator with minor injuries, but no life-threatening injuries were reported, the city said.

In a harrowing moment caught on camera, storm chaser Scott Lasker attempted to help pull a man from trapped in the rubble of a damaged house, according to media reports.

Lasker told WGN he heard a woman screaming that her husband was trapped before he helped move some of the debris. Emergency crews then arrived and helped pull the man from the wreckage.

Starting at 8 a.m., the city said residents of affected areas would be allowed to return to their properties to retrieve belongings and assess damage. "At this time, insurance adjusters, contractors and other non-affected residents will not be permitted into the area," the city said, advising those people to report to City Hall.

Thursday night, the Red Cross opened a facility for those in need of food and shelter at a Streator church. "At this time, we do not need additional volunteers," the city said, adding, "We appreciate the overwhelming support from our community, but limiting access to the damaged areas allows emergency personnel, utility crews, and public works staff to work safely and efficiently."

Derecho Hits Illinois

Thursday's severe weather came after Wednesday night storms included a derecho that produced widespread wind damage, including gusts of up to 85 mph. A derecho produces long-lasting, widespread, damaging straight-line winds, and Wednesday's weather left more than 170,000 customers without power, ComEd said.

The strongest winds reached 85 mph in the city of Chicago. The city's Lakeview neighborhood also saw winds of 78 mph.

Suburbs seeing high winds included Plainfield and Homer Glen, with 70 mph winds.

Power Outages Continue

As of Friday morning, ComEd said around 175,000 customers were without power after the two days of storms. By 5:30 p.m. Friday, the company's outage map estimated over 108,000 customers were still without power.

"We understand how disruptive outages can be and appreciate your patience as more than 3,000 ComEd full-time employees continue restoration efforts," the company said. "As of 6 a.m., roughly 492,000 customers have been restored, with roughly 175,000 still without power after Wednesday’s and Thursday’s storms swept through the territory. For the latest information, please visit ComEd.com/Storm."

Bridgeview And Markham Courthouses Remain Closed Friday Due To Ongoing Power Outages

After Wednesday's storms, ComEd sent a notice to customers that it anticipated having power restored to about 80 percent of customers by 11 p.m. Saturday.

The ongoing power outages hit residents as well as businesses, with some local businesses being forced to close their doors.

RELATED: Lemont Severe Weather: Businesses Close Due To Power Outages

In Will County, local staple Merichka's restaurant was closed Thursday and on Friday announced it would likely be closed through Saturday after losing power Wednesday night. The businessed said on Friday, "We are going to have to close today, and possibly tomorrow since our power is off. Unfortunately we will have to remake a lot of items and that takes a lot of time."

Flights Affected

On Thursday, more than 800 flights at Midway and O'Hare airports were affected by severe weather, with hundreds of flights canceled.

On Friday morning, 50 flights were delayed at Midway, with 4 cancellations, while O'Hare reported 145 delayed flights and 115 cancellations.

Search For Missing Boy

As severe storms swept through the Chicago area, another emergency arose: an 11-year-old boy was reported missing in Frankfort.

As volunteers rushed to offer their services, police used K-9s to search for the boy, who remained missing overnight as police urged residents to check their sheds and garages.

Early Friday morning, searchers continued their efforts, which paid off. By shortly after 7 p.m., police made the happy announcement that the boy, Joey, had finally been found safe after taking refuge from the storm.

RELATED STORM COVERAGE FROM PATCH:

• Flooded Roads, Downed Power Lines Reported As Storms Sweep McHenry County
• Confirmed Tornado Touches Down As Severe Storms Slam Illinois
• Village Of Evergreen Park Provides Storm Updates, Power Slowly Being Restored
• After The Storm: Power Outages, Downed Wires And Road Closures Left In Storm's Wake