Tornado touches down near Rockford

From staff reports

A tornado touched down near Rockford at around 3 p.m., Monday, Nov. 22, and caused heavy damage near Caledonia in Boone County. Several buildings were reportedly destroyed, and a school bus carrying students was reportedly blown over, but no serious injuries were reported.

Don Gasparini of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department said at 4:20 p.m., Monday, Nov. 22: “We have about 40,000 people in the Rockford area without power. Substations were hit at Argyle, one at Sand Park and one at Boylan. ComEd is working and there was a tornado that was confirmed touched down. We have had no structural damage reported, but I haven’t heard any actual confirmation of structural damage in Boone County. That’s where it was headed.”

In response to the tornado in Boone County, the Rock River Chapter of the American Red Cross is on the scene. Red Cross disaster volunteers will provide immediate emergency relief to victims of the tornado if needed. At this time, Red Cross workers are doing damage assessment and have deployed the Emergency Response Vehicle to provide food and water to emergency relief workers and tornado victims. Red Cross workers are also prepared to open shelters in Boone and Winnebago counties, if needed.

Those seeking assistance following the storm can contact the American Red Cross Rock River Chapter, 727 N. Church St., Rockford, at (815) 963-8471.

A tornado also touched down in Walworth County, north of the Wisconsin border.