LYNWOOD, IL (WBBM Newsradio) -- Crews are adding up what it'll take to rebuild homes, businesses and other buildings damaged in this week's storms in Chicago's Far South suburbs.
And one of the area's voices in Washington says she hopes help from the federal government doesn't get delayed by politics.
When the sirens finally stopped and the winds died down Tuesday evening, one of Congresswoman Robin Kelly's first calls was to the mayor of Kankakee.
"He told us what was going on and he knows that if he needs anything, I'm here, and he said that he will contact me if he needs my help," said Rep. Kelly (D-2nd District) after casting her ballot in next week's primary election at a community center in Lynwood. "When I contacted Kankakee, one (tornado) had already touched down and they were afraid there was going to be another one."
Authorities report no fatalities in Illinois as a result of the storms sparked by a "super-cell" that swept across Kankakee County and into northwest Indiana. First responders in Indiana say a husband and wife in the town of Lake Village were found dead in the aftermath of a storm that came through that area.
Emergency assessment crews were out in the area on Wednesday to help determine the extent of damage, with an eye toward state disaster assistance. And while help from the federal government in the form of grants or low-interest loans has historically been routine, Illinois has found its most recent requests for assistance from Washington rejected by the Trump Administration. Governor Pritzker has accused FEMA of playing politics with disaster aid.
"People's homes have been torn apart," said Rep. Kelly. "Business have been torn apart. We should not look at Democrat or Republican. These are people who live here. They need to release the money, and there should not be retaliatory efforts. That would be absolutely ridiculous."
The state's Emergency Management Agency has also set up a website for owners of properties damaged in the storms to submit their reports about what happened.
You can find it by clicking this link.