Lake County Gazette

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation for Boone, Crawford, DuPage, Marion and Sangamon counties to open the way for immediate assistance and public safety support to help those impacted by the recent rash of tornadoes that hit the region.

“The devastating storms that swept through our state last night have upended communities and resulted in heartbreaking injury and loss of life,” Pritzker said in an April 1 statement published by WGN. “In response, I am issuing an emergency disaster proclamation to immediately provide all necessary aid to our communities. I am in close contact with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and local partners around the state to ensure every possible resource is provided to those who suffered losses or are experiencing displacement."

Notable areas affected by the storms include the fatal roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, a Variety report said. The collapse killed a 50-year old man and caused more than 40 others to be hospitalized, two of whom suffered life-threatening injuries. At the time the tornado hit, approximately 260 visitors were inside the venue attending the heavy metal "United States of Terror" tour.

Storms killed three people in Crawford County, and approximately 30 structures were damaged in Boone and Crawford counties, including the Robinson Airport. Sangamon and Marion counties also suffered damage.

Multiple structures in the Village of Addison were badly damaged, the WGN report said. Prtizker’s office stated that the disaster proclamation will support local governments in their responses and recovery operations.

The governor directed the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to coordinate a statewide response, which would include state resources being put into action to help deal with the weather crisis.

A series of tornadoes also hit the Midwest and Southern U.S. in the days before the Belvidere tragedy, killing at least nine people in Mississippi, Arkansas and Indiana; Variety reported.