Hundreds of thousands are without power, thousands are homeless and at least eight people have been killed in the spate of at least 81 reported tornadoes that spread destruction through 12 states Sunday. Six deaths occurred in Illinois with another two deaths reported in Michigan.

Winds as high as 190 miles per hour swept through Washington, Illinois, the hardest hit community in the path of the onrushing tornadoes. That tornado and another in New Minden, Illinois, where winds of 165 miles per hour were reported, were rated as EF-4s, which is the strongest on the Fujita scale. One person died as a result in Washington, another two, an elderly couple perished in New Minden.

Tornadoes in Illinois in November are not common, since 1986 only 194 tornadoes alerts have been issued in that state in November. But, this year, the weather bucked the trend and 101 of those 194 alerts were issued yesterday. Generally, cooling temperatures as fall progresses staunches the production of tornadoes so late in the year. But temperatures in the high sixties and seventies was enough to spawn the deadly storms on Sunday.

Besides Illinois, 11 other states, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and western New York were pummeled by high winds and tornadoes brought by thunderstorms.

As the region struggles to recover from the deadly storms, searchers fanned out in at least six states looking for possible surviiving victims.

Seven Illinois counties were declared disaster areas by Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn.