CHATHAM — Chicago experienced unprecedented levels of damage after Wednesday and Thursday’s onslaught of severe thunderstorms, with power restorations expected by the end of the weekend and clean-up efforts expected to take over a week, city officials said Friday.
The storms uprooted trees and destroyed infrastructure across the city after blowing through Chicago this week, with winds reaching over 70 miles per hour on Wednesday night. More than 45,000 Chicagoans remained without power as of Friday, according to a spokesperson for ComEd. Hundreds of crews have been deployed throughout the city to restore residents’ power.
“Extremely high winds and rain have damaged many of our homes, trees, windows and utility poles that city crews are working tirelessly to respond to,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said Friday in front of a building damaged by a downed tree in the 8000 block of South Michigan Avenue.
“We want to extend our thoughts and prayers to those across Chicagoland and the entire communities that have been impacted by this storm. During moments like these, we are reminded of the interconnectedness of our region and the importance of coming together to rebuild and support one another,” he added…