National Weather Service

NWS: Eight Tornadoes Touched Down in Illinois During April 9 Storm

The eight tornadoes tore through northwest, north central and central Illinois

A total of eight tornadoes tore through the state of Illinois on Thursday, causing varying degrees of damage.

On Saturday, the National Weather Service confirmed there were two tornadoes on northwest Illinois, four in the north central region of the state and two in central Illinois.

The strongest tornado was the one that touched down near Rochelle and ripped through Fairdale, leaving damaged homes and businesses in its wake. The National Weather Service categorized this tornado as an EF-4. 

The EF-4 carved a path through four different counties -- Lee, Ogle, DeKalb and Boone -- before it let up. Two people were killed in the storm and at least 22 others injured.

The other confirmed tornadoes were reported as EF-0 or EF-1, meaning they generated winds between 65 and 110 miles per hour. The tornado that touched down near Belvidere and killed two zoo animals was an EF-1.

The last time Illinois experienced an EF-4 tornado was Nov. 17, 2013, when two of them struck the community of Washington. Since 1950, there have been 33 recorded tornadoes of this strength, according to the National Weather Service.

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