A line of powerful storms and hurricanes, along with golf-ball-sized hail
swept across Washington, Illinois, into southeast Missouri, destroying homes and bringing a halt to the game between the NFL's Bears and Ravens as fans were moved from the stands to what officials said was a safer concourse within the stadium.
There were reports of deaths from Washington, which is close to Peoria, but officials said a number of buildings had been destroyed.
Back in Chicago, the game resumed - on a severely weather-beaten field - at about 2:15 pm. The weather delay lasted an hour and fifty-three minutes.
