CLINTON COUNTY, Ill. — The sound of chainsaws and excavators was common in Illinois on Friday as homeowners cleaned up from the storm that swept through their areas.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado with winds up to 110 mph impacted north Clinton and south Bond counties late Thursday night.
The tornado touched down a couple of miles north of Breese on Jamestown Road and continued northeast until it reached the southern outskirts of Greenville.
The Holtgrave family and their home on Jamestown Road saw the worst of the storm.
There were windows from the house blown out, debris scattered, and the family’s shed in the back was caved in with a camper tipped over inside.
Bricks were piled up outside the back door after the chimney fell through the roof.
"It felt like an earthquake," Taylor Holtgrave said. "Just felt a lot of shaking, heard a lot of booms, heard glass break. I tried to get downstairs as fast as I could but by the time I got there it was pretty much all over already."
Clinton County Emergency Management, who worked alongside the NWS, assessed multiple structures and farmland.
Officials with the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency said the experience was rare for this community.
"It seems like in our area our lake actually keeps a lot of the storms either north or south of us. So significant storms typically don't happen in this area but we do see some tornadic activity upon location," said Tony Petrea, assistant director.
Lots of stuff is gone, but those who use it, were gratefully untouched as the town saw no loss of life.
"Everything can be replaced so, that's always good and it's always nice seeing how our community comes together," Holtgrave said.
Several community members stopped by the family’s home between Thursday night and Friday to see how they could support the family.