West Central Reporter

In an April 5 Facebook post, Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Aledo) shared information on the Illinois Emergency Management Agency's tornado response.

“My thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by the recent storms across the 47th District. I support any state resources needing deployed during this time,” he wrote. “IEMA has a 24-hour response line set up: (217) 782-7860”

ABC 7 Chicago reported 22 tornadoes hit Illinois over that weekend.

“We lost four vehicles, camper, buildings, we lost sheds, carport – can’t even find it,” Monica and Michelle Kline of Bryant said to Central Illinois Proud. “The garage is complete. We have a three-car garage over there, it’s completely gone,” said

According to the National Weather Service, on April 4, several supercell thunderstorms caused a tornado to form and affect several areas. 

"The first supercell entered Schuyler County just after 5 p.m., lifting north along the Illinois River Valley toward Peoria before dissipating as it approached a stronger capped environment," the National Weather Service reported. "A few supercell thunderstorms that tracked between Burlington, IA, and Quincy, IL, congealed into one massive supercell, strengthening as it entered Fulton County around 7 p.m. The supercell went on to produce baseball-sized hail and a few tornadoes, one of which was a long-track EF-3 with peak winds estimated near 160 mph near Lewistown and Bryant in Fulton County. The supercell storm weakened as it moved into eastern Tazewell and Peoria counties, eventually dissipating over Woodford County due to the lack of daytime heating, which strengthened the capping inversion."

State climatologist Trent Ford told ABC 7 said the weekend tornado outbreak was “severe.”

Anderson issued a full statement on his official website. 

“My thoughts and prayers go out to those who were impacted by the severe weather across our state and the 47th District,” Anderson wrote. “In a matter of moments, residents had their livelihoods turned upside down and are now figuring out how to pick up the pieces and move on from here. I am working closely with emergency management officials, and I support any state resources needed during this tragic time. “I want to thank our first responders, emergency medical personnel and weather experts for their work to help protect our state’s residents during a very chaotic time. There is no doubt, lives were saved because of their swift and selfless actions.”

ABC 7 reported four people died from the recent storms.

The April 4 incident wasn't the only tornado incident that struck the state. The National Weather Service noted that there were several tornadoes spawned from a March 31 weather incident starting with severe thunderstorms. Damage was reported in northwest Illinois, North Central and Northeast Illinois, and Southwestern Illinois.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois State Climatologist website posted that tornadoes could occur any time of the year but Illinois’ peak tornado season is between April and June.

On April 1, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation that allowed the Illinois Emergency Management Association to begin working with affected communities. The proclamation includes Boone, Crawford, DuPage, Marion and Sangamon counties, according to the news release. The proclamation also allows for coordination with other agencies.

Anderson has served the 47th District since 2015. The district now includes portions and/or all of Adams, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mason, McDonough, Menard, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazwell, and Warren counties. When he's not serving the residents of the 47th District as a legislator in Springfield, Anderson is a firefighter/paramedic in Moline.