Storm damage and power outages hit Chicago and Northwest Indiana

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes have caused widespread destruction across Cook County, Chicago, and Northwest Indiana. The storms resulted in power outages, downed lines, uprooted trees, flooding, and structural damage.

In Cook County and Chicago, emergency management officials are requesting that impacted residents complete a voluntary damage assessment survey by August 24. This data will help local and state agencies determine if additional assistance can be secured for residents and businesses.

In Northwest Indiana, recovery efforts continue as more than 100,000 customers remain without electricity. NIPSCO reported that the recent weather events caused unprecedented damage to the electric system, marking one of the largest outage events in the company’s history. Communities such as Gary, Dyer, Merrillville, and Hammond have been particularly hard hit by the destruction.