Multiple tornadoes touch down near Chicago causing damage to houses and trees

At least eight tornadoes and thunderstorms touched down in the greater Chicago area on Wednesday, setting off tornado sirens and other warnings in America’s third-biggest city.

The National Weather Service issued an advisory for people in the Chicago area to seek shelter for the night after one tornado touched down near O’Hare International Airport.

Air traffic was temporarily halted with all departures of commercial flights from O’Hare and Midway airports grounded, resulting in delays to almost all the outgoing flights from the two airports, the US Federal Aviation Administration reported.

The tornadoes battered at least four counties in northeastern Illinois, including four in Cook County.

The weather agency said trees were uprooted and roofs were blown off in the Cook County town of Countryside and car windows were damaged in La Grange.

Extensive damage to homes and trees was also caused by several other twisters, the National Weather Service reported.