Batavia, IL – Storms swept through Batavia on Sunday, causing widespread damage as trees and power lines fell, leaving numerous streets in darkness.
Initial efforts are underway, yet additional cleanup will require more time. A home faces significant damage after a tree falls.
As the storm subsided, Batavia buzzed with the spirit of determination.
“He sent me a text and he said go to your nearest Menards or Home Depot and grab a generator because it’s gonna fly off all the shelves in Batavia,” Ruth Boone said.
A tarp now covers the gaping hole in her roof, a result of the winds that tore off the chimney, which now rests on the curb. Sections of her tree and those of her neighbours collapsed into the pool she intended to fill this week.
“The hail was so heavy you couldn’t see across the street, and there was a noise like the wind that was just coming down and coming down and coming down for two or three minutes. He said it didn’t seem like a tornado to him, it seemed more like a microburst,” she said.
A few streets away, the remnants of the storm are visible in a front yard, and the sounds of its aftermath can be heard.
“Disbelief and a little bit of like what we do now,” Kyle Lange said.
Lange returned to find the destruction and a team of eager helpers ready to assist.
“Most of them I’ve never even met to be honest with you,” he said. “It’s just super friendly. My son wants to be acknowledged, but yeah, it’s just awesome neighbors.”
Severe weather unleashed torrential downpours, booming thunder, and a barrage of hailstones. Yet, in the midst of all the chaotic turmoil, a gentler note emerges.
Mike Farrell strums his guitar, enjoying a moment of tranquilly on the front porch during the power outage.
“It was very windy, lots of hail, and the wind just came through very very hard,” he said.
