Published on June 30, 2026 10:40 pm
Last Updated on July 1, 2026 6:28 am
Governor J.B. Pritzker has issued a state disaster proclamation following months of severe weather and flooding that caused widespread damage across Illinois.
The proclamation includes Effingham County and Coles County, both of which were damaged by tornadoes on June 17. The Governor plans to visit Effingham County today, as well as Jefferson County to tour the Mt. Vernon area, which was also heavily damaged by storms.
The indication is that Pritzker’s visit will not include public stops, but he will tour locations that suffered major damage.
The disaster proclamation involves storms that occurred as far back as March. Those include:
- Coles (June 17)
- Cook (June 10)
- Effingham (June 17)
- Jefferson (June 21)
- Kankakee (March 10)
- LaSalle (June 11)
- McLean (April 17-18)
- Stephenson (April 14 and April 17)
- Warren (June 17)
- Winnebago (April 17)
- Woodford (June 11)
The disaster proclamation makes additional state resources and personnel available to support response and recovery operations and can facilitate requests for state and federal disaster assistance. Governor Pritzker has also directed IEMA-OHS to continue coordinating with federal partners to evaluate available assistance and identify additional resources to help impacted communities recover and rebuild.
The disaster proclamation goes into effect immediately.
Additional Resources Unlocked:
• Funding for Impacted Communities: The proclamation unlocks the potential for small, rural communities to apply for funding through theCommunity Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Response program through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Disaster Response is a HUD funded program and units of local government are eligible for up to $250,000 to assist with unexpected costs after a Governor-declared disaster. This includes reimbursement for cleanup, debris removal and repairs to public infrastructure. Communities would have six months to apply for this funding after a disaster declaration is made.
• Personnel & Equipment: The proclamation can facilitate deployment of state personnel and equipment if needed or requested by locals.
• Procurement: The proclamation relieves traditional procurement constraints to expedite the securing of resources, such as commodities or specialized equipment, which may be needed to timely effect response.
