Chicago hit by severe storms as 500,000+ lose power, flights halted
A severe storm system, identified as a derecho, caused widespread power outages for over 500,000 customers across Illinois and Indiana. The storm resulted in significant property damage, including torn roofs and flooded roads, and forced the temporary suspension of flights at major Chicago airports.
Why it matters
Extreme weather events like derechos pose significant infrastructure risks and highlight the vulnerability of regional power grids and transportation hubs.
Chicago and parts of the wider Midwest were hit by severe storms on Tuesday, leaving more than 500,000 customers without power, grounding flights and causing widespread damage across Illinois and north-western Indiana.Power outages affected more than 600,000 customers across Illinois and Indiana at the peak of the storm, according to PowerOutage.us, with Lake and Porter counties in Indiana and Will County south of Chicago among the hardest-hit areas. The storms also disrupted air travel, with all flights temporarily halted at Chicago’s two major airports as officials dealt with the dangerous conditions and worked to clear a backlog.The storms brought torrential rain and extreme winds, with a 99 mph (159 kph) gust recorded in Gary, Indiana.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in