Multiple homes were heavily damaged when a tornado tore through a central Illinois community during a round of severe weather and intense winds on Sunday afternoon. Photos posted on X captured extensive damage in the community of Mount Zion, about 8 miles southeast of Decatur in Macon County. Ro ofs were torn off multiple homes, several trees were uprooted and debris was strewn in front yards. WAND-TV, the NBC affiliate in Decatur, said the Macon County Emergency Management Agency confirmed a tornado briefly touched down near Blue Mound at around 3:05 p.m. A second tornado occurred about five minutes later in the Long Creek area, officials said. Of the several homes that were damaged, at least two had their roofs ripped off, video showed. As of Sunday night, no injuries had been reported. Several people and pets were inside one home when its roof was knocked off and were able to get out safety. Sunday’s storms knocked out power to more than 2,400 residents in the Decatur area, according to Ameren, the local utility company. Most of the outages were reported in the area where the tornadoes hit. Authorities urged people to avoid the hardest hit areas as crews worked to restore electricity and first responders assisted those in need. The National Weather Service confirmed at least one tornado touched down in the area, with a final damage assessment coming this week. Strong storms also swept across elsewhere in Illinois, including Pontiac, where heavy winds damaged several homes and an apartment complex. Significant damage was also reported near Peoria, where a possible tornado may have touched down. The Tazewell County Emergency Management Agency shared photos of the aftermath, including a collapsed barn, a downed power pole and debris scattered across a farm. ...read more read less