CHICAGO (WLS) — A significant clean-up operation is currently in progress after powerful severe storms passed through the Chicago region, leading to tornado warnings.
Residents across the south suburbs and northwest Indiana will be getting a closer look at the damage.
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In Gary, Indiana, officials could not survey all the damage because of downed power lines.
Images depict the gym’s roof at McCullough Academy in Gary torn off, leaving behind a massive hole. Some classrooms also sustained damage.
The school is now closed Thursday and Friday ahead of its scheduled spring break.
In nearby Highland, a mother and her son hunkered down as strong winds whipped around their home.
When everything was over, a tree that had been in their front yard for decades had toppled over.
“There was just tree all over the window and that’s all you could see was just trees everywhere,” Sheila Courtright said.
“Numerous roofs have been blown off, several garages have collapsed, and utility poles have been uprooted, lying on the sides of houses,” stated Ron Brewer, a member of the Lake County Council.
At last check, NIPSCO says more than 2,500 customers are without power. That’s down from more than 13,000 at the height of the storm.
Lake County, Indiana leaders said that they are working with the Red Cross to provide shelter to those who need it.
Storms rip through south suburbs
A strong line of severe storms Wednesday prompted tornado warnings and left damage across the southwest suburbs, including Steger and New Lenox.
The powerful storm also caused significant damage in the south suburbs.
Video from Steger shows what’s left of a warehouse that was torn off by the high winds.
Debris from that roof ended up on the railroad tracks.
People who hid from the storm’s path believe what they saw was a funnel cloud.
“It was just going in a circular motion down the street, it was just leaves, whatever was around it, straight down,” one resident said.
In New Lenox, a UPS tractor trailer proved no match for the powerful winds.
The storm flipped the entire tractor trailer on its side. the driver and a passenger were not hurt.
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