3 killed in weekend storms, 40 tornadoes reported Sunday
A weekend severe weather outbreak with dozens of tornado reports resulted in three deaths in Kansas and Illinois.
As thunderstorms tracked east across southern Illinois on June 21, a powerful tornado was seen churning through a field near Mount Vernon. Authorities said the storm caused two fatalities and widespread damage.
A deadly weekend severe weather outbreak killed at least three people in Kansas and Illinois, destroyed mobile homes, and added to what has already become a record-setting tornado year in Illinois.
On Saturday, around 1 a.m. CDT, an EF2 tornado hit 5 miles east of Sedgwick, Kansas, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, ripping a double-wide mobile home from its foundation. The tornado killed a father of five, his family told 12 News.
On Sunday, shortly after 5 p.m. CDT, a tornado touched down in northeastern Jefferson County near Mount Vernon, Illinois. Three mobile homes were destroyed, two people were killed, and five others were sent to a local hospital with injuries, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.
The Sheriff's Office announced Monday morning that the fatalities included 83-year-old Delores B. Shelton and 62-year-old Sarita L. Kimble.
Power lines and trees were also knocked down in the area. On Sunday evening, 14,000 customers lost power in Illinois and another 14,000 in Indiana, according to PowerOutage.US.
A firetruck stands in front of damaged homes with strewn debris on Thursday, June 11, 2026, after a tornado passed through Merrillville, Ind. (Michael Sneiderwine via AP)
A total of 117 tornado warnings were issued by the National Weather Service, and 40 tornado reports were filed with the Storm Prediction Center on Sunday afternoon and evening, mostly between Peoria, Illinois, and Jasper, Indiana. A tornado damaged an apartment complex in Newburgh, Indiana, but no injuries were reported.
After a severe weather outbreak last week, Illinois had surpassed all previous preliminary yearly tornado report totals. The state's total for 2026 as of Monday morning is 196 reports, more than twice that of any other state.
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