Photos, Debris From Washington, Illinois Tornado Turning Up In Yards 100+ Miles Away

Photos, Debris From Illinois Tornado Turning Up 100+ Miles Away

After a tornado leveled hundreds of homes in the central Illinois town of Washington on Sunday, debris -- such as photos, church bulletins, sheet music and more -- has begun turning up more than 100 miles away, including in the Chicago area.

The sightings prompted one Facebook user to create a group to share photos of the debris with the hope of reuniting its owners with their belongings. For some of them who lost their homes in the storm, little else remains.

Debris featured on the Facebook group has been turning up in southwest Chicago suburbs including Channahon, Plainfield, Lockport, Joliet, Shorewood, Bolingbrook and Minooka. Bolingbrook is nearly 120 miles northeast from Washington.

"Please take a minute to look around your yard or properties...you may have someones only photo left of their life," a post from administrator Becky Siegel-Harty reads.

The group's administrators are asking that any items found be dropped off at the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce, located at 909 Liberty Street in Morris, Ill.

The death toll from the storms that moved quickly across 12 states on Sunday has been updated to 8, two in Michigan and the rest in Illinois. Seven Illinois counties have been declared disaster areas after an EF-4 tornado with winds of 170 to 190 mph touched down, devastating a number of communities largely in the central part of the state, near Peoria.

Before You Go

Scenes From Washington, Ill. Tornado Aftermath

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