A long-lived thunderstorm complex called a derecho raced across the Midwest Monday night, producing widespread damaging winds from Iowa to Illinois, including Chicago, Indiana and southwest Michigan.
In Indiana, a 44-year-old woman was reportedly killed when a tree fell on her Cedar Lake home, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
Another person was injured by a falling tree and taken to a hospital, according to the Chicago Fire Department. The CFD responded to several calls of downed power lines, fallen trees and collapsed porches.
In Washington County, Illinois, officials warned of an “imminent” dam failure amid an active flash flood warning, forcing the evacuation of some residents.
Officials warned residents in a portion of Nashville, Illinois, that the Nashville dam was at risk of “imminent failure.” Alongside a shaded map, the Washington County Emergency Management Agency posted an update stating, “If you are in the grey box, you need evacuate now!”
About 300 residents live in the evacuation zone, Darrah Sabo, deputy director of the Washington County Emergency Management Agency, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Nashville is about 50 miles southeast of St. Louis and has a total population of about 3,400 people.
Earlier in the day, officials said the area was “experiencing an emergency flood situation” and cautioned residents to stay home except in the case of evacuation orders.
National Weather Service radar estimates 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in Nashville in a 24-hour period as of about 11:30 a.m. EDT.
About 11 miles of Interstate 64 in the area were closed due to flooding.
According to the National Weather Service, a tornado was responsible for damage to structures, trees and power lines in Polk County, Iowa, where Des Moines is located. A damage survey will be performed Tuesday to determine how strong the tornado was.
In the Windsor Heights area in western Des Moines, debris was tossed as the twister tore through nearby neighborhoods.
Trees were scattered in the aftermath of the storms, but no deaths were reported in the Des Moines area.
