A storm system that produced a number of tornadoes in the Midwest was blamed for at least seven deaths in two states, officials said Wednesday.
At least three people were killed when a tornado touched down in Harrisburg, Illinois, early Wednesday, the Saline County Sheriff's Office said. About 100 others were injured.
The number of fatalities in Harrisburg could rise, the city's mayor said, in the wake of the twister that appeared to have been on the ground for several miles, said the city's mayor, Eric Gregg. The path of destruction was about three or four football fields wide, he said.
The scene in the southern part of Harrisburg, where the tornado struck, was one of debris and collapsed houses. Commercial and residential buildings were crushed. A tractor-trailer could be seen laying on its side, off the highway.
Crews were searching 'piece by piece' for survivors, Gregg said.
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It was 'a path of destruction that is absolutely devastating,' he said. 'It's a very difficult day for a very good community in southern Illinois.'
At least five people were killed in Harrisburg because of the storm, he said.
According to the sheriff's office, some 100 people were injured and between 250 and 300 houses were damaged or destroyed. Some 25 b.