National Weather Service confirms at least 11 tornadoes from brutal storms across Illinois, Indiana

At least 11 tornadoes touched down across Illinois and Indiana during the severe weather front that tore through the Chicago area last week, causing widespread damage and leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

The National Weather Service on Saturday added four tornadoes to the list of those confirmed in Thursday’s intense storm system, all in Indiana: Cedar Lake, Schneider to Hebron, Ludlow and Boswell.

That’s on top of the three previously confirmed Illinois twisters, in northwest suburban Bartlett, downstate Streator and another that stretched from Graymont to Dwight; plus four more in Indiana: Merrillville, St. John, Kouts and Wenona.

No major injuries or fatalities were reported in the wake of Thursday’s storms, but scores of buildings were damaged across the area. More than 27,000 ComEd customers were still without power late Saturday.

The Bartlett tornado was given a preliminary EF-1 rating, indicating winds of up to 110 mph. The Streator and Kouts tornadoes were both rated EF-3, with winds of up to 165 mph.

Officials are still assessing the damage and could add more tornadoes to the final count. Survey teams were set to evaluate damage in Hickory Hills, Bridgeview and Chicago’s South Side, plus areas south of the Kankakee River.