Tornado touches down near Chicago’s O’Hare airport, disrupting hundreds of flights

CHICAGO (AP) — A National Weather Service team will survey damage in northeast Illinois, where fierce winds from suspected tornadoes ripped roofs from buildings, downed trees and sent residents scrambling for safety as sirens sounded. The weather service warned Wednesday evening that a confirmed tornado was on the ground near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Passengers took shelter and the storm disrupted hundreds of flights. There were no immediate reports of injuries. A weather service map highlighted several areas where tornadoes are suspected to have touched down, noting that they were spawned by rotating thunderstorms known as supercells. A team will survey the damage to determine an official count of the tornadoes, their tracks and intensity ratings.