美国中西部周二遭强风暴袭击，造成3人死亡，超过80万户居民失去电力供应[1]。风速超过80英里/小时的强风引发树木和电力线倒塌，其中印第安纳州Gary地区记录到99英里/小时的直线风[1]。俄亥俄州州长Mike DeWine宣布Perry和Muskingum县进入紧急状态，警告洪水、龙卷风和危险直线风可能继续威胁该地区[1]。
停电范围涉及伊利诺伊州、印第安纳州、俄亥俄州和肯塔基州四州[1]。印第安纳州Geneva Township一名4岁儿童在树木倒塌砸中卧室后身亡[1]。此外，Grafton监狱16人因闪电击中被送往医院，Chicago附近确认有2个龙卷风[1]。
电力恢复工作已全面启动，但修复预计将需要较长时间。Columbus市长Andrew Ginther表示电力可能需要数天才能恢复[1]。电力公司AEP已派遣2000多名工人进行抢修[1]。National Weather Service预警整周都存在持续洪水风险[1]。Portage警察队长Rob Maynard指出这是"任何人都能记得的最严重的天气事件"[1]。
Severe thunderstorms swept across the US Midwest on Tuesday, resulting in three fatalities and leaving over 800,000 households without electricity across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky [1]. Wind speeds exceeded 80 miles per hour, with the Gary, Indiana area experiencing a particularly destructive derecho with gusts reaching 99 miles per hour, toppling trees and power lines across the affected regions [1].
Among the casualties was a four-year-old child in Geneva Township, Indiana, who was killed when a falling tree crashed through their bedroom around 3:30 p.m. [1]. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in Perry and Muskingum counties in response to the disaster [1]. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther cautioned that electricity restoration could take several days [1]. Two confirmed tornadoes were sighted near Chicago [1], while 16 individuals at Grafton prison required hospitalization after being struck by lightning [1].
The storm's destructive force prompted swift response efforts, with the AEP utility company deploying over 2,000 workers to restore power [1]. Local emergency officials described the severity of the damage in stark terms, with Portage Police Chief Mike Candiano observing that "it appears there are trees down on virtually every road" [1]. Police Captain Rob Maynard characterized the event as "the worst weather incident anyone can remember" [1]. The National Weather Service warned of continued flooding risks throughout the week [1].