Updated
Updated · NBC Chicago · Jun 12
Chicago Storms Shut Roads After 3 Inches of Rain as Tornadoes Hit 4 Communities
Updated
Updated · NBC Chicago · Jun 12

Chicago Storms Shut Roads After 3 Inches of Rain as Tornadoes Hit 4 Communities

3 articles · Updated · NBC Chicago · Jun 12

Summary

  • More than 3 inches of rain in hours flooded roads across the Chicago area Thursday, closing routes from McHenry to the Dan Ryan Expressway, where several vehicles were stranded.
  • A second round of severe thunderstorms also brought tornado damage: a confirmed touchdown closed US-18 into Streator, while suspected tornadoes hit Merrillville, Bartlett and Kenosha.
  • State Road 53 in Merrillville, Route 59 in Bartlett and Highway 142 in Kenosha were among the roads shut, with numerous structures reported damaged or destroyed in Streator.
  • Thousands of power outages added to the disruption, causing street-light problems in multiple communities as closures spread through Beach Park, Waukegan and other parts of the region.

Insights

Is Chicago's aging infrastructure fighting a losing battle against increasingly intense, climate-fueled storms?
As 'Tornado Alley' shifts east, are Midwestern cities the new frontline for catastrophic storm devastation?
With past federal aid unspent, can new disaster reforms get money to victims before the next storm hits?