CHICAGO (AP) 鈥� Severe weather cut power to more than half a million people in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana as perilous thunderstorms and extreme wind gusts pummeled the region Tuesday, causing widespread damage.
Tornado warning sirens howled as the skies darkened. All flights were temporarily stopped at Chicago鈥檚 two major airports, and officials warned of delays as the backlog was cleared. In Ohio, power outages swept the state capital region, and at least one death was reported.
Photos posted on social media from the Chicago area, and across the state line in Indiana, showed flooded roads, trees tangled in power lines and homes with gashes in their roofs.
鈥淣o power. It was very scary. We were down in the basement,鈥� said Javid Jenkins of Homewood, a Chicago suburb. 鈥淲e鈥檙e built for snow. We鈥檙e built for cold. We鈥檙e not built for this.鈥�
Jenkins, 54, said he was driving around for gas to fire up a generator to preserve food in his refrigerator.
There were numerous reports of wind gusts of 80 mph (128 kph) or more at personal weather stations.
鈥淭otal devastation. No roof,鈥� said Kerry Hourigan, standing outside her home of 25 years in Tinley Park, another Chicago suburb. 鈥淪tupid thing, but my focus was I just bought a new barbecue grill, and I have no idea where that is. It鈥檚 disappeared.鈥�
The National 麻豆官网 Service bluntly warned earlier in the day: 鈥淭hese are dangerous storms!鈥�
More than 600,000 customers lost electricity in Illinois and Indiana, according to poweroutage.us. Lake and Porter counties in Indiana and Will County, south of Chicago, were especially hard hit. Farther east in Ohio, more than 290,000 customers were without power.
Meteorologist Scott Baker said the Midwest was on the outer edge of a 鈥渞ing of fire,鈥� bringing waves of excessive moisture, instability and storms.
In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine said a resident of Roseville died during a health emergency when first responders, faced with flooded roads, couldn鈥檛 get there. He warned that flood dangers would persist.
鈥淭his is not something that will end tonight,鈥� DeWine said of the severe weather.
Indeed, forecasters said multiple rounds of rain would cause flood hazards in the Ohio Valley through early Friday.
Officials in Columbus, Ohio, sent local government workers home early ahead of another round of storms. The library in Westerville, Ohio, closed after rain poured into the atrium.
The fifth day of the 10-day Lake County, Indiana, Fair was canceled, disappointing fans who were hoping to see a professional wrestling event involving people under 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall.
Nearby in LaPorte County, Indiana, there was a 鈥渢remendous amount of tree damage,鈥� Commissioner Joe Haney said.
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White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Jennifer Garske in Washington and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed.
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