Weather

Actions

1 person killed by Illinois tornado

Posted at 10:59 PM, Feb 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-28 22:59:49-05

(AP) — At least one person was killed when a tornado spawned by a late-winter storm system swept through the central Illinois city of Ottawa.

Illinois Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Patti Thompson says the victim, who hasn’t been identified, was killed Tuesday by an uprooted tree. It hasn’t been determined how many people were injured by the storm.

Thompson says the extent of the damage caused by high winds won’t be determined until Wednesday. However, a twister hit the LaSalle County Nursing Home in Ottawa. A woman answering the telephone at the nursing home said several residents reported bumps and bruises but no serious injuries.

Emergency crews also were sent to the Village of Naplate, where several structures, including a factory, were damaged.

Thompson says storm damage was also reported in Woodford County, east of Peoria. No injuries were reported.

A tornado watch remained in effect in northern and central Illinois late Tuesday.