A dangerous storm system rolled through the Midwest on 9 April, killing at least one person and levelling houses and businesses north west of Chicago, Illinois, local officials said.

One person was killed and at least seven people were injured in the tiny town of Fairdale, Illinois, located some 75 miles from Chicago, according to local media.

Damage was also reported in and around Rochelle, Illinois, about 81 miles west of Chicago, according to Rochelle Councilman Bill Hayes. The Red Cross opened a shelter in the town of about 10,000 people, and more than a dozen state agencies were providing help, according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

Roads were closed all around the area due to downed power lines, said Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police Officer Phillip Wire, who was directing traffic near Rochelle.

Nearly 900 flights were cancelled at Chicago's O'Hare International and Midway International Airports because of the weather, the airport said.

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