Storm Cleanup Under Way in Southern Illinois

Storm leveled house under construction and damaged farm structures

Cleanup efforts are under way in southern Illinois after an apparent tornado toppled at least one tractor-trailer while damaging buildings in Washington County.

Okawville Police Chief Steve Millikin says the tornado he videotaped on his dashboard camera clipped the northern edge of his 1,400-resident village Tuesday night.

The National Weather Service confirmed that at least three tornadoes touched down but the damage was not severe.

Millikin says that's where the storm leveled a house under construction and damaged roofs and farm structures. He says the trucker in the overturned rig was slightly injured. Okawville is 40 miles east of St. Louis.

Meteorologist Ben Miller says eyewitness reports and video appear to confirm a tornado caused the damage. The intensity, path and length haven't yet been determined.

The weather service says parts of southern Illinois also got large hail and 4 to 6 inches of rain since Tuesday night.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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