Deadly Twister Devastates Tiny Illinois Town

The US National Weather Service has confirmed that eight tornadoes struck northern and central Illinois last Thursday evening.   

The tornadoes killed two people and injured 22 others as it swept through the area, damaging 50 buildings in Rochelle and devastating the small town of Fairdale.

At least 200 people live in Fairdale, about 80 miles northwest of Chicago. They were all were forced from their homes. Every building in the town sustained damaged and many were destroyed.

"Obviously, there's a lot of debris out there," Incident Commander Chief Pete Polarek said. "There's some houses basically just pushed into a big pile."

One local man who watched the tornado said, "I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Meanwhile, CBN's Operation Blessing is on the ground providing assistance in Illinois.

Teams are partnering with the Rockford First Assembly of God Church in Rochelle, a small town that is about an hour and a half southwest of Chicago.

*To learn more about what Operation Blessing is doing or to donate visit their website.