On July 15, storms and tornadoes swept through the US states of Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, causing many trees and power poles to fall. An estimated 460,000 households and businesses lost power.
A tornado hit Des Moines, Iowa, as storms moved into the area, according to the National Weather Service. Authorities received reports of multiple power poles down.
The storms then moved east, hitting northern Illinois, including Chicago. Several tornadoes formed as the storm moved along. According to poweroutage.us, nearly 390,000 customers lost power in northern Illinois alone.
Chicagoans received repeated warnings of tornadoes and heavy rain on July 15. Authorities also received numerous reports of major damage in the city. Flash flood warnings continued to be issued on the morning of July 16. Flooding is expected to occur in low-lying areas, drainage ditches, streets, and underpasses due to continuous rain overnight on July 15.
Late on July 15, the storm moved into the states of Indiana and Michigan. Authorities issued a tornado warning in Indiana.