SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — A barn near Patoka was heavily damaged by strong winds from a severe thunderstorm that swept through Marion County Wednesday night. The storm, which brought multiple tornado and thunderstorm warnings, also caused significant damage to electric transmission lines. Ameren and Tri-County crews were out Thursday making repairs. Though no other major building damage was reported, some power outages affected hundreds of customers across the area.

A tornado struck southwest of Greenville late Wednesday, causing significant damage to a home on Millersburg Road. The storm sucked Melissa Marti out of her house while she was heading to the basement. Remarkably, she was able to call for help after landing outside. She was later taken to St. Louis University Hospital. The tornado also damaged other buildings, though no one was home at a second affected residence. The National Weather Service is tracking the tornado’s path.