Tornado Mega Cluster Sends Chicago Reeling, O’Hare Visitors Forced to Shelter Underground

Tornado from a tornadic supercell approaches from the south, west of York Nebraska June 20, 2011.
Mike Hollingshead/Getty Images
Warner Todd Huston

Roofs were ripped off buildings, trees were uprooted, flights were canceled at O’Hare International Airport, and thousands were left without power overnight as a “mega cluster” of tornadoes touched down in at least four areas in and around Chicago on Wednesday evening.

According to reports, eight funnels were seen touching down in four counties in northeastern Illinois, home to the state’s heaviest population and the locale of the City of Chicago, the Daily Mail reported.

The dangerous conditions shut down both of Chicago’s major airports, Midway and O’Hare, as tornadoes were reported popping up across the region.

Indeed, a tornado was reported forming right by an O’Hare runway, sending travelers fleeing to the facility’s underground walkways for safety, the Mail added in a separate report.

The National Weather Service confirmed that two tornadoes touched down near O’Hare at around 7:00 p.m. and did not rule out others that were not reported.

“This tornado has been touching the ground intermittently so far and is moving east. There are additional circulations along the line south of O’Hare. Seek shelter if in the warned area,” the service reported last evening.

A video posted to social media showed hundreds of people crammed into the airport’s underground walkways.

The line of storms that engulfed the airport was extensive.

Trees were overturned in the area in and around the Windy City as well.

And at least one building collapsed during the storm:

Funnel clouds formed all around the city, from north to west to south, as residents uploaded hundreds of videos showing tornadoes touching down.

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