At least three tornadoes tore through communities outside Chicago on Thursday, leveling homes, ripping down trees and power poles, as severe storms grounded flights and cut power to hundreds of thousands across the Midwest and Northeast.
The extreme weather events marked a day of widespread disruption and destruction.
In Merrillville, Indiana, approximately 33 miles southeast of Chicago, a large column of air descended, prompting city police to issue urgent warnings for residents to seek cover.
By evening, the town was grappling with the aftermath: streets blocked by downed trees and power lines, homes severely damaged, and a section of a high school’s roof ripped off…