Jefferson County, Illinois – At least two people are dead after a powerful tornado tore through rural Jefferson County, Illinois, on Sunday evening, part of a larger storm system that produced more than a dozen reports of tornadic activity across the southern part of the state.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office began receiving a wave of 911 calls shortly after 5 p.m. local time, with residents reporting home damage, downed trees and power lines, and missing family members.
By around 9 p.m., Sheriff Jeff Bullard confirmed that three residences had been destroyed and many more had suffered varying degrees of damage in the northeast part of the county.
Both fatalities occurred in single-wide trailers that were among the homes wrecked by the storm. Five other people were taken to local hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The names of the two people who died have not yet been released by authorities.
Crews from multiple agencies, including the Illinois State Police, the Mt. Vernon Police and Fire Departments, the Jefferson County Fire Protection District, the Waltonville and Woodlawn Fire Departments, Litton Ambulance, and United Medical Response, responded to help with search and rescue efforts.
At least three roads in the county were blocked by fallen trees, and power lines were knocked down in several spots, though service was largely restored by Sunday night.
Sheriff Bullard urged anyone who does not live or work in the affected area to stay away while crews continue clearing debris and assessing damage.
A wider system brings chaos across the region
The destruction in Jefferson County was part of a broader severe weather outbreak that swept across southern and central Illinois on Sunday. According to Scott Kleebauer, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center, there were at least 13 separate reports of tornadic activity or storm damage by Sunday night.
He cautioned that the number does not necessarily mean 13 distinct tornadoes touched down, since some reports likely came from the same storm track, but he said it would not be surprising if three or four separate tornadoes are eventually confirmed once official surveys are completed.
One tornado was confirmed in Marion County shortly after 6 p.m., moving east at roughly 35 miles per hour. The Marion County Emergency Management Agency reported no injuries there, though several outbuildings may have sustained damage.
Just before 7 p.m., the National Weather Service warned that the tornado threat remained active across southern Illinois, and parts of southern and central Indiana were placed under tornado watches as the system pushed eastward.
Residents describe terrifying scenes
Video and photos shared on social media showed funnel clouds forming over towns like Keenes and Mount Vernon, along with snapped trees and storm debris scattered across yards and roads. In Mount Vernon, resident Tiara Gabrielle Etheridge said she and her family had to flee suddenly when a funnel cloud began forming directly above her home.
She said her boyfriend had been outside watching the clouds with a neighbor, and once the clouds began to circle, the family grabbed their kids and ran to safety.
After moving a block or two away, they could see the full funnel cloud taking shape right over their house. Etheridge said she has lived in the area for years and had never felt seriously threatened by a storm before Sunday.
Authorities continue to assess damage across the region as cleanup efforts get underway.
