CARLYLE, Ill — Several areas across our region were hit hard by everything from hail to strong winds to flooding. One of the hardest hit areas from Sunday night's storms was Clinton County in the Metro East, specifically in New Baden and Carlyle, Illinois.
Two EF1 tornadoes were confirmed in Carlyle and New Baden.
The tornado left several businesses severely damaged, including Beelman Truck Company and Carlyle Truck Repair in Carlyle. Both businesses in Clinton County had damage from winds of up to 70 mph that hit the buildings.
Beelman Truck Company's roof was torn off and caved in. Powerful winds also blew off Carlyle Truck Repair's walls, and insulation and pieces of the metal building collapsed inside. Cars and even a school business parked near the business were damaged, as well.
Radar-confirmed tornado rips through Carlyle, Illinois
Less than two miles down the road, the campground at Eldon Hazlet State Park was also hit by the storms. Several trees were blown over with one blocking the road near some RVs and several trees on top of RVs.
One camper is considered a total loss after the tornado destroyed it.
Kari Anthony, the camper's owner, says they heard the tornado warning sirens and ran to safety in the storm shelter area on the campground.
After it was over, they returned to the camper, knee-deep in water, destroyed by multiple trees that had toppled onto it, and even went inside. Anthony said, thankfully, nobody was injured, and they do have insurance on the camper.
On Monday afternoon, many people in the campground cleared off debris and trees on the road.
Chris Staggs, another camper from Wood River, Illinois, was packing up to leave. When the tornado sirens started, they took shelter inside their camper. Thankfully, they walked out of it with no injuries and no damage to their campers.
"We didn't know it was going to be that bad. Next thing you know it just came it just came so fast. We were like, well, we could leave, but next thing you know, bam, it was here, so we decided to stick it out. The camp post said it was one of the worst ones he's ever seen, so we're a part of it," Staggs said.
Wringe Road is less than 3 miles from the state park, where multiple homes, barns, and campers were extensively damaged.
Kathy and Roy Rice have been living in their family home for 35 years.
Their house was hit hard by the tornado. Several trees were knocked down, a radio transmitter landed on top of their home, debris was thrown everywhere in their yard, and a big portion of their roof was torn off over their main bedroom.
"It took the whole back part of my house off, the roof, water was just pouring in there. At the end of next month, I was going to retire. Now I don't even have a place to live," Kathy Rice said.
Kathy and Roy Rice said they're lucky to be alive.
"The wind was coming down so hard. I was out in the shed and couldn't even see the house from there. It was just blowing so hard," Roy said.
"Thirty-five years ago on Memorial Day, I moved in here. Now, 35 years later, on Memorial Day, I lost my house," Kathy said.
A little farther down Wringe Road is a family barn that was ripped apart by the tornado. The Binger family said there used to be four other barns next to it, but all have since been torn down by tornadoes. The one that was destroyed was the last one standing until Sunday evening.
Adam Binger and other relatives spent the Memorial Day holiday cleaning up all the damage in their grandmother's yard.
"The shed fell down, we're just trying to get everything cleaned up. We got 15 trees that got knocked down, and we're just trying to get everything straightened up. It's hard to see. Grandma, she's tearing up pretty well. But we'll get it cleaned up and probably put another one up, hopefully," Binger said.
Binger said luckily, nobody was injured.
Other areas in the Metro East also saw storm damage. 5 On Your Side received video from a storm chaser in New Baden that showed winds ripped through the area. A viewer who lives in that area told 5 On Your Side the storm took down power lines and caused fire crews to close off some roads. The EF1 tornado went through New Baden with max wind gusts at 90 mph.
Emergency management crews also confirmed several trees and larger branches were down in Belleville and Dupo.
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