WALNUT GROVE, Ill. — Several severe storms moved through the region Wednesday, impacting communities in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois.
Community members in the small community of Walnut Grove, Illinois, stepped up to the plate Wednesday to help neighbors whose homes were damaged by a severe weather outbreak. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
A community near Harrisburg, Illinois, was affected by a storm and a tornado warning was issued.
In the small community of Walnut Grove, Illinois, trees have been cut down in nearly every yard. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
Some residents only had damage to trees in their yards, while others had their homes lifted off their foundations.
Clark Horton lives in a modular house with several large trees in his yard.
Clark Horton (left) and his son Aaron Horton (right) pose for a photo in front of a large tree that was uprooted during Wednesday's severe weather outbreak. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
His home was lifted off the block and the truck he was driving to a neighbor ended up pinned against a tree.
Horton's home in Walnut Grove, Illinois, suffered extensive damage and his truck was crushed by a tree that fell on it. The home appears to have been lifted off its foundation and does not move when people walk by the home. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
“My truck was parked on the road next to it and there was a tree on top of it and it was damaged,” Horton said. “The house, it lifted it off its foundation. The house next door had all the trusses ripped out. It was just a mess.
The branches of a small tree on the ground at Horton's home in Walnut Grove, Illinois, were uprooted. Their home also sustained significant damage, as did his truck, with a tree falling on the truck. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
Two trees in his front yard were uprooted, and his house was filled with water and crumbling.
A small tree was uprooted at Horton's home in Walnut Grove, Illinois. Their home also sustained significant damage, as did his truck, with a tree falling on the truck. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
“Probably staying in a motel tonight,” Horton said. “If you walk into the house, I'm not in yet, but you can feel [moving…] They said there were leaves in the house.
The Horton family looks at a modular home that was removed from its foundation during Wednesday's severe weather outbreak. In addition, trees in the front yard of the home were uprooted. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
Riley King was home with his sister, aunt and uncle when the storm passed.
“We looked out the back window and saw the leaves being sucked up,” King said. “They went left, then right. Then all the branches started falling down.”
Riley King was at home with his family when a storm hit his house. He said they were lucky and it was great to see the community come together after the game. Photo taken on May 8, 2024.
He said his uncle witnessed a tree nearly hit the house.
“He saw a tree in our backyard, right next to our house,” King said. “It fell towards our house and then it twisted and was sucked back. It missed our house.”
This is their cue to go to the basement.
Before they emerged from the basement, the power was on and off and they couldn't see anything.
They feel lucky that things haven't gotten any worse and it's great to see the community coming together like it did before.
“I'm glad to see everyone come together and wrap things up,” King said. “It was nice to see everyone come together. I thought it must have been a tornado that started behind my house.
Walnut Grove isn't the only community experiencing weather damage.
About 20 miles away in El Dorado, Illinois, Ferrer Hospital hit by severe flooding.
Ferrel Hospital chief executive Tony Keane said they had experienced severe flooding.
“We've had a lot of rainfall in a short period of time,” Keane said. “It overwhelmed the area's drainage system, causing flooding conditions within the hospital.”
The hospital usually has about 17 patients, but there were only six on Wednesday and had to be evacuated.
“We estimate approximately 70,000 square feet of flooring was affected by flooding,” Keane said. “This is a significant event, not only in our emergency department, but in our lobbies, our patient registration areas and our clinic spaces.”
The hospital encourages people with medical emergencies to call 9-1-1.
