Multiple tornadoes hit the Midwest on July 16, 2024, causing widespread damage and power outages in several states. At least two people were reported dead as a result of the storms.
In Illinois, a line of thunderstorms known as a derecho brought powerful wind gusts and possible tornadoes to Chicago and its surrounding areas. Two tornadoes were reported near Des Moines, IA, and another was confirmed outside O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The storm caused significant damage to buildings, downed trees, and power outages.
One person was killed in Indiana when a tree fell on a house during the storm. Another person died in Madison County, NY when they were struck by debris from a tornado that touched down near Canastota.
Governors in both Illinois and New York declared states of emergency due to the damage caused by the storms. Power outages affected over 110,000 people across New York and thousands more in Illinois.
The National Weather Service reported that at least four tornadoes touched down in New York, with one causing significant damage in Rome, Oneida County. The tornado destroyed a church and moved a B-52 bomber several feet off its platform outside the entrance of the decommissioned Griffiss Air Force Base.
The storms also affected other parts of the Midwest, including southern Wisconsin and Michigan. In Nashville, IL, a dam was breached due to heavy rain and 300 homes were placed under evacuation orders.
The severe weather came just one day after the Midwest was hit by multiple tornadoes on July 15. The National Weather Service issued 16 tornado warnings that day, the most in a single day since 2004.
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