A severe weather outbreak tore through the Midwest Wednesday night, with Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana bearing the brunt of the storm’s widespread tornadoes, large hail, and destructive winds. Numerous structures have been leveled, leaving several communities reeling. FOX Weather Meteorologists Britta Merwin and Craig Herrera recap the devastating outbreak:
As severe storms tore eastward across the Midwest Wednesday night, powerful wind gusts damaged buildings, knocked down trees, and toppled power lines in numerous towns.
Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana took the hardest hit from the outbreak, facing widespread tornadoes, large hail, and destructive winds.
In Illinois, some of the worst destruction occurred in Effingham, Teutopolis, Blue Mound and Charleston, Illinois, where significant damage has been reported.
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Statewide power outages peaked near 60,000 customers by 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
A dangerous tornado ripped through Clark County, Indiana, with FOX Weather's exclusive Debris Tracker indicating the tornado was so intense that it sent debris as far as 21 miles from the tornado, emphasizing the violent nature of the storm.
That said, Interstate 69 remains still closed in both directions, presumably with debris from a tornado, in Hindustan, Indiana.
FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic was in Teutopolis when a tornado crossed right in front of him, and he saw at least one home completely destroyed.
A tornado caused significant damage in areas north of the City of Effingham, impacting homes, roads, utilities and other property throughout portions of Effingham County shortly after 8 p.m., according to the city's fire department.
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The Effingham Fire Department said they responded to several emergency incidents, which primarily occurred in the Shumway and Siegel areas. These calls included heavily damaged homes, collapsed structures, car crashes, downed power lines, gas leaks, blocked roads and other storm-related emergencies.
The fire department said several minor injuries have been reported, but none are life-threatening at this time.
"[Wednesday night's] response was a true example of neighbors helping neighbors and agencies working together during a time of need. We extend our sincere appreciation to every responder, utility worker, volunteer, and community member who assisted throughout the evening," the fire department said on Facebook.
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Officials are asking residents to stay away from damaged structures, downed power lines, gas leaks or debris fields. Anyone who encounters dangerous conditions is advised to contact authorities.
In nearby Teutopolis, a confirmed tornado touched down near the town's fire district. Firefighters responded to several incidents related to storm damage, including damaged and destroyed homes, according to the Teutopolis Fire District.
Fire officials said no life-threatening injuries have been reported, and firefighters are still responding to several incidents.
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Charleston was also devastated by a tornado that ripped through the area. The police department reported that several trees and downed power lines were blocking roads, causing hazardous conditions for people in the area.
Charleston Mayor Brandon Comb has declared a local state of emergency in response to significant storm damage impacting the community.
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Nearby Eastern Illinois University will be closed Thursday as a result of the damaging storms that passed through Charleston and the surrounding area, according to a notice on their website.
As storms targeted Blue Mound, an elementary school sustained significant damage. They decided to cancel summer school after assessing the situation, and in the best interest of students and staff, the school said.
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Blue Mound officials are asking people to stay off the roads, as numerous downed power lines, and trees on houses, have been reported.
The National Weather Service will continue its field surveys to assess the total damage brought on by the outbreak.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest on the Midwest severe weather outbreak.
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