A devastating wave of tornadoes and supercell thunderstorms struck the Midwest region of the United States on the evening of Sunday, June 21. The Storm Prediction Center recorded nearly three dozen reports of tornadoes, according to CNN.
This onslaught of severe weather came just four days after a previous series of tornadoes that claimed lives. This time, the hardest-hit states were Illinois and Indiana.
In Illinois, two fatalities have been confirmed. According to the local sheriff, the victims were in mobile homes that were completely destroyed. Five other people have been hospitalized. At least 20 residential buildings in the county have been damaged, and power lines have been knocked down.
Several communities in Indiana also sustained significant damage, with a number of homes leveled to the ground. No reports of injuries have been received there so far, but residents have been urged to stay indoors due to darkness and the abundance of debris.
Meteorologists attribute the sudden deterioration in weather to the collision of atmospheric fronts. Daytime heat and critical humidity transformed morning thunderstorms into dangerous supercells, bringing large hail and gusty winds.
The storm front is now moving eastward toward the Ohio Valley. Due to prolonged rainfall, a second-highest flood risk level has been declared for the Central Plains and the Mississippi Valley. On Monday, June 22, the severe weather will reach the Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic region, where the threat of destructive winds and localized tornadoes remains.
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