KENOSHA COUNTY — Monday night’s storm devastated multiple communities in Kenosha County, including Camp Lake. The National Weather Service confirmed Tuesday an EF-0 tornado touched down in the small community. It initially started as an EF-1 tornado in Northern Illinois, and was one of two tornadoes confirmed in the region.
For 20 years, Javier Lorenzo has lived in Camp Lake, and in all that time he dreaded one thing, that a storm would roll through and knock down trees on his property.
“This was my biggest fear,” Lorenzo said. “Sure enough, 20 years later my fear became reality.”
His car is totaled, along with a part of the roof of his house, and tree limbs and branches fill his backyard. He still can’t even get to his shed.
The NWS confirmed they found damage consistent with a tornado in the neighborhood after officials surveyed the area.
It left behind a path of destruction in the community, where you could find downed trees and power lines, some on top of homes and vehicles.
At Justin Christopher’s home most of the damage was in his backyard. His patio furniture is gone, and part of a brand new fence.
“It’s sad honestly. It’s disheartening,” Christopher said. “We just put the fence up last year, and it was a big investment. We’re young homeowners. It’s something that we did so our dog could have a yard.”
He said the storm came through fast.
“It was real, real intense winds like they sounded like a train was coming right next to the house, and then just everything crashing down all at once,” Christopher said.
Christopher started cleaning up right away, and it didn’t take long for neighbors to step in.
“Everybody’s just taking care of each other, making sure everybody’s alright,” Christopher said.
This is what it takes, a community coming together, thankful for what they still have.
“This is nothing to blame. This is Mother Nature doing what she does,” Lorenzo said. “Material things can be replaced, a life can’t so I’m blessed. We’re blessed.”
Despite all the damage in Kenosha County, there were no reports of anyone being seriously injured.
According to the NWS, Wisconsin averages about 23 tornadoes annually. They said this was the first of two tornadoes seen in the southeastern region this year. Another tornado was confirmed to have touched down in Lake Geneva Monday.
