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Last Updated: Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 05:19 PM
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Search Continues for Survivors

Crews digging through rubble in Utica looking for additional people who may be trapped in tornado damaged structures.

Crews digging through rubble in Utica looking for additional people who may be trapped in tornado damaged structures.

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Residents in north-central Illinois are workingto clean up after tornados tore through the area, leaving homes,businesses and schools damaged.

Rescue workers in Utica are digging through therubble of a collapsed tavern in hopes of finding survivors.

Authorities say four people have been killed in the Utica area,including three from the tavern.

Wednesday morning the sheriff's department told reporters they had recovered three bodies, and believe four or five more people are unaccounted for. Cranes and hand removal are being used in the hopes of finding survivors. Utica's Mayor Fred Esmond said Wednesday morning ''we know there are more people down there.''

More than a dozen homes were damaged in Utica. A tornado alsodestroyed the Old Utica City Hall. And at least one grain bin atUtica Elevator also was reportedly damaged.

In nearby Granville, about 60 homes, a school and a bank weredamaged. Tornados also reportedly touched down in Will and Kankakeecounties.

At least 15,000 homes were without power across threecounties last night, but all but about 3,500 had powerrestored by this morning.



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