TORNADOES SEVERELY DAMAGE 100 HOMES IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS

More than 100 homes were severely damaged and more than 20 people injured late Saturday, when 22 reported tornadoes ripped through central Illinois. Much of the damage was seen in the town of Taylorville, 25 miles southeast of state capital Springfield, as it took a direct hit from a large twister. People were trapped in at least 12 damaged homes, but no fatalities were reported. The storms that generated the tornadoes knocked out power for least 4,000 homes, as streets were littered with fallen trees and downed power lines. Saturday looks likely to become one of the most active December tornado days on record, according to analysis by Aon’s Steve Bowen. An outbreak on December 18-19 1957 saw 21 tornadoes take place. During the period 1950 to 2017, the state has only seen 54 tornadoes take place during the month, including the impact of the 1957 outbreak. Tornadoes also caused heavy damage in Oklahoma and Missouri over the weekend, causing one death in Missouri.