IEMA, FEMA, SBA begin Tornado Damage Assessments

New damage assessments from the National Weather Service show that at least 15 tornadoes hit Illinois during Sunday's storms.

Vermilion County has been added to those counties already included in a disaster declaration. Assessments will be made in Gifford, Diamond, Coal City, and Washington.

IEMA is teaming up with FEMA, the U-S Small Business Administration, and local officials in the process of assessing the tornado damage.

Central parts of the state had the most with seven twisters, including one that hit Washington. It had 190 mph winds and was on the ground for 46 miles.

Four tornadoes swept through rural areas to the south and southwest of Chicago city. The closest was an EF-2 that dissipated about 35 miles from downtown Chicago near the village of Frankfort.

Three more tornadoes struck the St. Louis area and south-central Illinois, and one hit far southern Illinois, including the community of Brookport.

Weather Service meteorologist Ed Shimon says teams are out again Wednesday and could confirm a 16th tornado in Jasper County, where numerous people reported seeing a funnel cloud.

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