The National Weather Service in Lincoln has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Effingham County near on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a flood watch remains in effect until Sunday morning.
“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations,” the weather service said.
The tornado struck southeast of Altamont and south of Route 40. It was roughly 125 yards wide at its widest point, tore across 2.5 miles and was on the ground from 6:08 p.m. to 6:11 p.m., the weather service said.
With peak winds of 105 miles per hour, it damaged trees along its path. A portion of Doug Neller’s house was damaged, and power poles were broken.
Neller declined to speak with the Effingham Daily News. He told WAND-TV that he has lived in the house, near the intersection of County Road 500 and East 700th Ave., for more than two decades.
He was inside with his son, Robert, when the tornado hit near his home, he told the station.
“First it is getting very dark outside and all of a sudden, a lot of rain,” Neller told the station. “And I just sort of like heard a thump, but I didn’t think anything of it. I thought, ‘Well, its a shed or something like that.’ And then Robert went out and he said, ‘Well, the front porch is gone, all the spindles and everything.'”
National Weather Service Meteorologist John Bumgardner said the 105 mph wind speed was determined from damage and what buildings can withstand.
“The environment was very favorable for the storms,” said Bumgardner.
The National Weather Service is still surveying the surrounding areas. So far, the team has been to Altamont and Cumberland County. They were scheduled to also survey Casey and Clark County.
No hail was reported in the Effingham area.
According to local officials, power lines, power poles and trees were all blown down in Teutopolis, Altamont and Beecher City. Pieces of sheds and other housing debris have also been reported. Flooding in Altamont has been reported, as well.
Effingham County will be under a flood watch until Sunday morning. More than four inches of rain is likely.