US Midwest storms kill one as tornadoes, 99 mph winds leave widespread destruction and power outages

More than half a million people in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana were without power as thunderstorms and extreme gusts of winds pummeled the region.Aug 11, 2026; Mason, OH, USA; The P&G Stadium Court is silhouetted as storm clouds gather during the Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center.(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)One person was killed in what is being suspected to be a house explosion as severe storms blew through the US Midwest on Tuesday (local time).The person who died in Indiana passed away in Portage, which lies around 30 miles from Chicago. Firefighters were unable to reach on time due to the massive damage and debris the storm left behind, NBC reported citing police officials.The cause of the fire is under investigation, but officials are suspecting the weather to have played a role.Police Capt. Rob Maynard said in a press conference that despite having lived for 50 years, the storms he saw on Tuesday were “probably the most severe weather event that any of us here can remember.”Fire Chief Chris Crail said, “When this call came in, everything was breaking free,” as per NBC.Two confirmed tornadoes were reported in Illinois, as per the National Weather Service - in southern Cook Country and in eastern Will County.Damages caused by both these storms were consistent with the damage seen with EF-1 tornadoes, the NWS said.More than half a million people in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana were without power as thunderstorms and extreme gusts of winds pummeled the region, causing widespread damages, as per a report by the Associated Press.As per forecasters, a wind gust of 99 mph (159 kph) was recorded in Gary, Indiana. In other areas, reports showed gusts of 80 mph (128 kph) or more.As per preliminary information, the intense system that swept through Iowa and then went into Indiana over several hours qualifies as a derecho, as per National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.Derechos are prolonged straight-line winds that unleash heavy rainfalls and can travel far distances. The damage they leave behind is sometimes similar to the destruction caused by tornadoes or hurricanes.“Total devastation. No roof,” said Kerry Hourigan to the Associated Press as she stood outside her home of 25 years in Tinley Park, another Chicago suburb. “Stupid thing, but my focus was I just bought a new barbecue grill, and I have no idea where that is. It’s disappeared.”As per meteorologist Scott Baker, the Midwest was on the outer edge of a 'ring of fire', as it brought waves of excessive moisture, instability and storms, AP reported.As of 4:15 p.m. New York time, more than 200 flights flying either in or out of Chicago's O’Hare International Airport were cancelled while more than 1,000 flights were delayed, FlightAware reported. Even more than 140 flights at New York's John F. Kennedy International had to be cancelled.With agency inputsStay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. HomeNewsUs NewsUS Midwest storms kill one as tornadoes, 99 mph winds leave widespread destruction and power outagesMore