Washington, Illinois Struck By E-4 Tornado: One Dead

A massive E-4 class tornado struck the small town of Washington, Illinois last night leaving one man dead. Steve Neubauer, 51, was found near his home earlier today after the events of last night. Washington is a town of about 15,000 people located just east of Peoria, Illinois. Right now, it is estimated that between 300 and 500 buildings were damaged in the storm last night.

The town was under a strict curfew that began at 6 PM on Sunday and ended at 7 AM on Monday. Many residents of Washington stayed the night in their basements and then came out the next day to find their homes and the homes of their neighbors completely flattened.

Governor Quinn of Illinois declared seven Illinois counties disaster areas. Many people compared the aftermath of the tornado to the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, released this statement today:

"My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by today's severe storms. I am receiving regular updates from Illinois emergency officials and local leaders including those from Washington, Illinois, one of the areas that was hardest hit today. I stand ready to work with my colleagues in the rebuilding effort."

Several people commented on how quickly the tornado formed and made its way through Washington. Curt Zehr, one of the residents who lost his home yesterday, said that the tornado touched down by his farmhouse and tore the building to shreds in mere seconds.

The storm moved north to downtown Chicago, and while no tornadoes touched down in the city limits, officials still evacuated the football game between the Bears and the Ravens. The game resumed after a two hour delay with no injuries or damage.