(NBC NEWS) Emergency teams were being deployed Friday to assess the damage from deadly tornadoes in Illinois, as forecasters predicted severe lighting storms would strike from New York to the Gulf Coast.
In central Illinois, residents were carefully sifting through debris in the "absolutely devastated" town of Fairdale - the scene of one of two tornadoes late Thursday.
"There's approximately 50 structures, and essentially every structure has sustained some damage" in Fairdale, said Matt Knott, fire chief in nearby Rockford, who sent most of his department to the town of about 200 people to help with the rescue. Some homes were leveled "down to the slabs," he said.
Advertisement - story continues below
