NAPLATE, Illinois -- A tornado touched down in the Village of Naplate, leaving a line of damage from the west end all the way to the east end.
Wednesday morning, March 1, 2017, village leaders said only minor injuries were reported in the town, with some people transferred to the hospital. A village spokesperson said that weather sirens went off 15 minutes before the tornado struck.
In neighboring town, Ottawa, there was one reported fatality that was caused by a falling tree.
"This is the first tornado to ever hit the village, to our knowledge," he said.
As far as damage goes, a spokesperson said there was everything from minor damage like broken windows, to heavier damage like roofs ripped off, and some homes that were completely destroyed.
"It's scary to see," he said. "It's something that you don't expect. We're going to deal with it and rebuild."
Emergency officials are worried that people without a place to stay tonight will be out in the cold. Ottawa Township High School is being used as a temporary shelter where people can go to get warm and have something to eat until they can find a more permanent solution.
