EF-3 Tornado Rips Aroma Park; Officials Find One Dead While Gov. Pritzker Said None

A powerful EF-3 tornado with peak winds of about 150 miles per hour tore through Kankakee County and Aroma Park, leaving large swaths of the community devastated and traveling a long path through the region.

“A person was found dead Thursday afternoon in a home in Aroma Park as cleanup and repairs continued after an , leaving major damage”

CBS News

The National Weather Service and local reporting characterize the storm as an EF‑3, with peak winds near 150 mph and a wide touchdown path; local footage and official assessments describe flattened homes, uprooted trees and scattered debris across entire neighborhoods.

CBS News

Authorities say the tornado damaged roughly 500 buildings and destroyed about 30 homes in Kankakee County.

Local authorities and agencies reported injuries and fatalities in separate jurisdictions, and the count and public statements have varied across reports.

NBC reported 11 people injured in Kankakee County and noted that this was "the first reported fatality for the county," while Indiana officials confirmed two deaths in Lake Village; the Chicago Sun-Times said the storm “appears to have claimed one life” in Aroma Park and the sheriff’s office reported a body found in a damaged home that “appears to have been a victim from the tornado damage.”

Chicago Sun-Times

CBS noted officials had not yet notified the victim’s family and had not released age or gender information.

State and local officials activated emergency responses and began damage assessments while messaging to the public varied in emphasis.

“A person was found dead in a home destroyed by the tornado that plowed through Kankakee County this week, marking the third death reported from the severe storms, authorities said Thursday”

NBC 5 Chicago

Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said the county declared a state of emergency because of the severity of the storm damage, and the sheriff’s department said more information would be provided later as investigations continued.

Governor J.B. Pritzker visited Aroma Park and surveyed the damage, emphasizing recovery needs and urging officials and residents not to turn assistance into a partisan issue.

The storm caused widespread damage to public and private infrastructure, disrupted power for much of the community, and prompted utility restoration efforts.

The Chicago Sun-Times listed damaged buildings including schools, Riverside Hospital, the Kankakee County jail and courthouse, and the Shapiro Developmental Center, and said ComEd had restored “99%” of power with full restoration expected by Thursday night.

CBS News

Local footage and official tallies put the destruction at dozens of homes and hundreds of buildings, leaving residents and services strained.

Key uncertainties remain and officials have signalled they will provide more details as investigations continue, leaving some public confusion about fatalities and timelines.

“The tornado that tore through Kankakee County this week destroyed at least 30 homes and damaged nearly 500 buildings in the state, Gov”

Chicago Sun-Times

Reporters and officials note limited information: Chicago Sun-Times said “No other information was available” about the body in Aroma Park, CBS said the victim’s family had not yet been notified, and the sheriff’s department indicated that more information would be released later — underscoring that counts and official statements may be updated as authorities complete searches and notifications.

Chicago Sun-Times