The Illinois Lion Lioness Leo

Web Magazine Special Issue November 18, 2013

Fellow Lions: Yesterday many communities in Illinois hit with Tornadoes and

Storm. Thousands of people lost their life savings – homes, cars and personal

property. Disaster hit homes in Illinois; people are seeking help to survive. As

Lions of Multiple District 1, what we can do? How we can help these needy

people? Please do something – collect clothes, food items and most importantly

monetary help to lend them a helping hand in need. We Lions are known for

jour humanitarian help. Let us join hand in hand and place our joint efforts to

help our brothers and sisters who lost everything they had to raise their

families. As a Multiple District 1 Alert Chairman, I humbly request all lions in

Illinois to donate your monetary contributions through your District Governor

– -Lion Austin D’Souza, MD1 Alert Chairman

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My thoughts and

prayers are with

everyone in MD 1

who have been

affected in some

way by the storms

of Sunday. As Council Chair for this Lions

year I will be talking with all the District

Governors sometime today to determine

storm damage in our Multiple. I am

putting together a storm damage

assessment so that we can work with our

ALERT State and District Chairs to better

improve our response and preparedness

for events such as the storms. I thank

everyone for their prayers and concerns

to the areas hit by the storms.

–CC Lydia Ellis

At Least 6 Dead in Illinois After Tornadoes, Storms Damage Homes By GILLIAN MOHNEY and ANTHONY CASTELLANO

via GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Search-and-recovery operations are underway today after severe storms and tornadoes wreaked havoc on the Midwest, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more with powerful winds that flattened homes and decimated much of the town of Washington, Ill. A sixth death was confirmed late Sunday night after 81 reports of tornadoes ripped through at

least five states in the Midwest earlier in the day. One of the tornadoes in New Minden, Ill., was estimated to have winds up to 200 mph.

Ron Johnson/Peoria Journal Star/AP Photo

Tornadoes' Trail: Houses Turned to Rubble, Lives Shattered

Jonathon Monken, the director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said a third person was confirmed dead Sunday night in Massac County. An elderly couple was killed in Nashville, Ill., and another person was killed in Washington.

Destructive Storms Sweep Through Midwest At least 37 people were injured in the storms, although officials said they expect that number to rise significantly.

The town of Washington, a rural community of about 16,000, appeared to have been one of the hardest hit. Rows of homes were completely flattened, trees uprooted and cars turned upside down.

"I crawled into my kitchen and the whole roof came off," Washington resident Alicia Bachman told ABC News Radio. "My table went sideways, my glass doors blew in, my house is devastated and [I] still can't find my cat."

In a news release, the Illinois National Guard said it had dispatched 10 firefighters and three vehicles to Washington to assist with "immediate search and recovery operations in the tornado damaged area."

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As Tornado Rips Through Town, Man Recites Lord's Prayer "The whole neighborhood's gone," Michael Perdun told The Associated Press. "The wall of my fireplace is all that is left of my house.

"I stepped outside and I heard it coming. My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room and all of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone."

Lisa Hunter's son Brevin, 6, convinced his mother to head to their basement and hide under a mattress.

"We just covered up with a mattress," he said. "And she was holding me tight. I was holding her tight."

When the tornado finally passed, they discovered their Washington home was reduced to rubble within minutes.

"When I went outside I was like, 'Oh, my God.' Our whole entire neighborhood. I never even knew it would look like that," Brevin said.

WATCH: Tornadoes Wreak Havoc Across Midwest Washington Mayor Gary Manier was in church when the tornado ripped through the town. Mainer quickly sprang into action and ushered people to safety.

"I was in church and I actually had our worshipers go to the basement and I'm sure some of them probably thought I was off my rocker but you know a lot of times churches don't necessarily do tornado drills and fire drills like schools and businesses," Manier told ABC News Radio.

Tornado Disaster on

November 17, 2013 in

Illinois

Manier said he was grateful he spent so much time going over emergency preparedness disaster plans.

Illinois State Trooper Dustin Pierce said the tornado cut a path from one end of town to the other, knocking down power lines, rupturing gas lines and ripping off roofs.

"There's a lot of power lines down," Pierce told ABC News Radio. "Some of them might be live. There's a lot of gas leaks still. So we really need people to stay back.

"There's a lot of homes affected by this including a lot of multi-family homes, apartment buildings, things like that, so they're still going through those areas you know searching looking for injured people," he added

The tornado that ripped through Washington was part of a huge storm system that tore across Illinois around noon Sunday, causing widespread damage and forcing officials to evacuate the crowd of about 60,000 at Chicago's Soldier Field during a Bears football game.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn declared a state of disaster in seven counties: Champaign, Grundy, LaSalle, Massac, Tazewell, Washington and Woodford.

In the small town of Gifford, north of Champaign, more than 20 homes were completely destroyed, and there was no power.

The storm also slammed through parts of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky as it made its way east into the Mid-Atlantic states Sunday night.

ABC News Radio and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Lions, help the Victims;

Need is Now!

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A home sits in ruin along Elgin Avenue after a tornado struck on November 17, 2013 in Washington, Illinois. Several tornadoes touched down across the Midwest today with at least three people reported dead in Illinois. (Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

CHICAGO (CBS) — At least two tornadoes that raked Illinois on Sunday were rated EF-4, which is extremely rare for our area–especially this late in the season. The twisters that hit Washington–near Peoria–and New Minden–near St. Louis–were both rated EF-4 in a preliminary survey by the National Weather Service.

A final assessment may be available later today.

A total of six people were killed and dozens more injured in the wake of a 300-mile-long storm line that exploded across the state.

The deadliest tornado ever in Chicago happened in 1967, when 33 were killed by an EF-4 twister that hit Palos Hills and Oak Lawn.

The 1960s were also the deadliest decade for tornadoes with nearly 70 people killed. Yesterday’s storms were the deadliest for the month of November, Gov. Pat Quinn said on Monday.

While one tornado killed 29 people in Plainfield in 1990, improvements in advanced warning have clearly saved lives. Taking away the Plainfield

tragedy, about 16 people have died in the past 33 years.

Some significant tornadoes to hit the Chicago area:

March 28, 1920: An EF-4 tornado traveled over a 53 mile path, starting in Channahon, moving northeast to Wilmette and over Lake Michigan. The worst damage was in Maywood and Melrose Park. A total of 20 people were killed and 300 injured. March 4, 1961: A rare tornado hits Chicago. And EF-

2 ripped through the South Side—starting at 91st and Western and traveling to 68th Street and Lake Michigan. One person was killed, 115 hurt. The storm caused $7 million in damage. April 11, 1965: An EF-4 hit McHenry, Crystal Lake and Wauconda, killing six and injuring 75. April 21, 1967: A massive EF-4 storm cut a 28 mile

path from Cherry Valley, to Belvidere and Woodstock. A total of 24 people were killed and 500 injured. Thirteen were killed and 300 injured as 12 buses were tossed around Belvidere High School at dismissal time. April 21, 1967: A violent EF-4 tornado formed in

Palos Hills in Cook County and traveled through Oak Lawn and the South Side of Chicago. A total of 33 people died, and 500 people were injured by this 200 yard wide tornado that traveled 16 miles and caused over $50 million in damage. June 13, 1976: An EF-4 tornado hit Lemont and traveled for eight miles, leaving $13 million in damage. Two people were killed and 23 injured. August 28, 1990: A total of 29 people died and 353 people were injured when an EF-5 tornado pulverized Plainfield. It is believed to be the only EF5 tornado to strike in Chicago area. April 20, 2004: A tornado destroyed more than half of

downtown Utica. The EF-3 tornado killed nine people, including eight who died in the basement of the Milestone Bar. Other facts about tornadoes in Chicagoland:

The most common month for tornadoes: April (There has been a tornado in January!)

The most common hour of day for tornadoes: 5 p.m. This is by far the most common hour for a tornado to occur. Tornadoes rarely happen at night. The most common window for tornadoes is between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The most common strength of a tornado: EF-2

Number of tornadoes to hit Chicago proper since 1885: 3

Number of confirmed tornadoes, by county between 1950-2010:

5

DuPage: 19 Cook: 38 Lake: 9 Will: 37 McHenry: 17 Total: 120

The EF Scale:

1: 86-110 mph 2: 111-135 mph 3: 136-165 mph 4: 166-200 mph 5: Over 200 mph

Source: State Climatologist Office For Illinois/National Weather Service

Tornado damage in Washington, Ill. (Credit: Colin Hinkle)

Stacy Broniak and neighborhood firefighter

Todd Woolf look for medication and oxygen

supplies at the home Stacy's grandmother in

Kokomo, Indiana, on Sunday, November 17.

Severe weather erupted throughout the Midwest

and caused extensive damage on Sunday.

An overturned car rests in a pile of rubble about

a mile northeast of Washington, Illinois, on

November 17. Washington is in central Illinois,

east of Peoria.

Maranda Souders picks up a crystal bowl and

cup while searching through debris from her

grandmother's home in Brookport, Illinois, after

a tornado hit the small town in far southern part

of the state on November 17.

A firefighter works to clear a tree from a street

in Brookport, Illinois, on November 17.

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An elderly woman is escorted through tornado

debris in Brookport, Illinois, on November 17.

Dave Huffman sorts through his belongings in

the living room of his destroyed home in

Kokomo, Indiana, on November 17. Kokomo is

almost 60 miles north of Indianapolis, the state

capital.

Ray Baughman embraces family shortly after his

home was destroyed by a tornado south of Peoria

in Pekin, Illinois, on November 17.

A firefighter, in lower center of photo, peers

down into the home of a colleague whose home

was destroyed when a tornado swept through

Washington, Illinois.

Richard Miller salvages items from his brother's

home in Washington, Illinois, on November 17.

Tornado victims sift through an overturned

mobile home in Brookport, Illinois, on

November 17. A tornado ripped through the

small town in southern Illinois.

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A home is damaged by a tree that was uprooted

during the storm in Pekin on November 17.

Pekin is part of the cluster of towns in central

Illinois hit hard by the severe weather.

Chuck Phillips looks out at the destruction that

tore off part of his roof and destroyed homes in

his neighborhood on November 17 in Pekin.

A police officer talks with a resident in Pekin

after a tornado touched down in the area on

November 17.

An apartment manager warns Illinois State

University students to stay back from a roof that

blew off "The U" student apartments in Normal,

Illinois, on November 17.

Firefighters stand in the middle of the street

after a tornado leveled at homes in Washington,

Illinois, on November 17.

Billy Vestal evacuates his home in East Peoria,

Illinois, with his 3-year-old daughter, Lillian

Vestal, after a tornado damaged the area on

November 17.

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An Ameren Illinois utility worker walks past

homes looking for gas and electrical hazards in

Washington, Illinois, on November 17.

Josh Ramsey recovers items from the house of a

family friend after a tornado tore through the

north end of Pekin, Illinois, on November 17.

Photos of destruction due to

Tornado hit in Washington, Illinois

on November 17, 2013

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“Website Collections”

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Photographs of

Tornado Disaster on

November 17, 2013 in

Illinois

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Illinois Tornadoes: Gov.

Quinn declares 7 counties

disaster areas

November 18, 2013 (WASHINGTON, Ill.) (WLS) -- Gov. Pat Quinn declared seven counties in Illinois disaster areas after tornadoes tore through the state.

Six people were killed, hundreds were injured, and many homes and businesses were flattened on Sunday afternoon. Washington, Ill., in Tazewell County, was hit by an EF-4 tornado, which has wind speeds of 170 mph to 190 mph.

Quinn declared disaster areas in Champaign, Grundy, LaSalle, Massac, Tazewell, Washington and Woodford counties. He arrived in Tazewell County on Monday morning and was expected to tour the damage.

"We want to make sure people are getting the aid they need as quickly as possible. . . with every asset we have," Gov. Quinn said.

Officials are asking people who want to help to stay out of the tornado-damaged areas until "gas lines are off, power is back on." Instead, people are encouraged to reach out to organizations.

Disaster Area Declared After Illinois Tornadoes Posted on: 8:13 am, November 18, 2013, by Jessica Dabrowski, updated on: 08:18am, November 18, 2013

WASHINGTON, Illinois (CNN) — Hundreds

of thousands of people were without power

and hundreds were without homes across

the Midwest on Monday after powerful

storms wreaked havoc in three states.

The worst damage appeared to be in Illinois,

where six people died.

Gov. Pat Quinn declared seven counties a

state disaster area, including Tazewell

County, where a tornado left parts of

Washington, Illinois, in ruins.

“Devastation. Sadness. People that lost

everything,” is how Washington Mayor Gary

Manier described the scene to CNN’s Chris

Cuomo on “New Day.”

Another tornado in Washington County,

Illinois, east of St. Louis, left a path of debris

that stretched more than three miles,

according to a preliminary survey by the

National Weather Service.

While the bulk of the storm had moved

offshore into the Atlantic Ocean and the

threat of severe weather Monday was small,

damaging wind gusts of up to 40 mph were

still possible in parts of the Northeast, CNN

meteorologist Indra Petersons said Monday

morning. In the Great Lakes region, 50 mph

gusts were possible, she said.

‘Complete destruction’

The storm struck Washington around 11 a.m.

Sunday, when many of the town’s 10,000

residents were at church.

The timing may have been a blessing:

Dozens of homes were destroyed, but only

one person is known to have died in

Washington, a city of 10,000 just west of

Peoria, Illinois.

“It was complete destruction,” resident CNN

iReporter Anthony Khoury, who filmed the

tornado tearing through his neighborhood,

said Sunday. “There are people in the streets

crying.”

In nearby Peoria, OSF Saint Francis Medical

Center treated 55 people for injuries related

to the storm, the hospital tweeted. Some of

the injuries included rib, femur and pelvic

breaks. Two patients were in critical

condition.

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Resident Michelle Crumrine said the winds

swept her home and everything in it clean

away

“A lot of people have a pile of rubble still, and

I don’t have anything,” she said. “It’s gone. I

don’t know where it went.”

In Nashville, Illinois — about 50 miles

southeast of St. Louis — two people died

when a tornado with estimated peak winds of

166 mph hit.

And three people in far southern Illinois died

from what was believed to be a tornado

there, two in the Brookport area and one in

Unionville.

Brutal winds also flipped over at least six

trucks on highways about 80 miles west of

Chicago, the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office

said.

Officials in Missouri and Indiana were also

dealing with storm damage.

In Missouri, state emergency officials said a

tornado may have hit Scott County, where

heavy winds overturned three rail cars and

blew over four mobile homes.

And the mayor of Kokomo, Indiana, declared

a state of emergency and closed schools

Monday. While the state of emergency was

set to be lifted at 6 a.m. Monday,

“unnecessary travel in the affected areas is

still prohibited,” city officials tweeted.

There, the roof of a building sat in the middle

of a road. A car rested on the mountain of

rubble from a leveled home.

More than 160,000 people are without power

across the state, said John Erickson, a

spokesman for the Indiana Department of

Homeland Security.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is scheduled to tour

the storm damage Monday.

Soldier Field, O’Hare affected

Officials delayed the NFL game between the

Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens for

almost two hours as storms approached

Chicago, warning spectators to leave the

stands at Soldier Field and head for covered

areas.

“The rain started coming, the skies got black,

the wind was insane, and they evacuated us

to underneath the concrete concourse,” said

Jim Arnold, who was at the game with his 11-

year-old daughter.

“We’ve been through 15-degree-below

weather and winds, but never anything like

this,” Arnold said. “The winds gusted at 70

mph, and the winds and the rain were

horizontal and everybody was running. It was

just crazy.”

After the storm passed, fans returned to their

seats and the game resumed

But thousands of travelers scheduled to fly

through Chicago’s O’Hare International

Airport also had to grapple with the storm.

More than 270 flights were canceled Sunday,

and delays overnight stretched for an hour or

more.

Massive power outages

Across the Midwest, more than 321,000

customers were without power Monday

morning.

Most were in Michigan, where more than

245,000 customers had no electrical service.

That was down from a peak of at least

390,000, utility companies said.

CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis said the

storms came later in the year than some

might have expected.

“The primary time for tornadoes, as we well

know, is springtime. Then we see a second

high that comes in the fall,” she said. “Is this

late? It is rather late, because the

temperatures have been very warm.”

“On the backside of that, temperatures are

dramatically cooler. So that cold air is filtering

in behind it, warm air out ahead of it,” she

said. “And … we get some twisting motion in

the atmosphere. And that’s why we see this

tornadic activity.”

By Ted Rowlands. Holly Yan and Michael

Pearson, CNN *****************************************