Story perspectives

SBA disaster loans approved after 2026 derecho power outage

8/13/2026

Summary

Derecho Disrupts Midwest

The derecho on August 11-12, 2026 left over 1 million without power in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky and caused three deaths.
FlightAware reported 45 % of O’Hare flights delayed and 10 % canceled as the airport shut down.
Lightning struck a prison near Cleveland, Ohio, injuring 16 inmates, one of whom was airlifted.
A 4-year-old died when a tree fell on his home in Geneva Township, Indiana.

Summary

SBA Disaster Loans

SBA disaster declaration provides low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits hit by the storms.
In Kane, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kendall and McHenry counties, Prisco Center, Aurora (Aug 10-22) and Elgin Township Building, Elgin (Aug 17-Sept 1) offer assistance.
Loan limits are $500,000 for homeowners, $100,000 for renters and up to $2 million for businesses.
Deadlines are Oct. 10, 2026 for physical-property damage applications and May 5, 2027 for economic-injury claims.

Summary

DeWine Declares Emergencies

Governor Mike DeWine declared emergencies in Perry and Muskingum counties Tuesday and activated a National Guard rescue unit.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources deployed two swift-water rescue teams when floodwaters rose to 6-10 feet, prompting evacuation of 200 residents and overtopping bridges.
Lightning struck a Lorain County correctional facility, sending sixteen inmates to hospitals, while a National Weather Service outage from 6 p.m. to 7:14 p.m. ET delayed warnings by 20 minutes.

History

Historical Context

The June 16-17 2021 Midwest derecho, which knocked out power for 10 million customers and caused about $11 billion in damage, follows a pattern of decade-spaced mega-derechos such as the June 2012 event that killed 22 people and the August 2020 storm that also reached $11 billion losses. FEMA’s $1.2 billion aid and Governor Mike DeWine’s 2026 emergency declaration illustrate growing federal and state responses to these recurring, high-impact wind events.

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Derecho Disrupts Midwest

The derecho on August 11-12, 2026 left over 1 million without power in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky and caused three deaths.
FlightAware reported 45 % of O’Hare flights delayed and 10 % canceled as the airport shut down.
Lightning struck a prison near Cleveland, Ohio, injuring 16 inmates, one of whom was airlifted.
A 4-year-old died when a tree fell on his home in Geneva Township, Indiana.

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