CHICAGO – Travelers at O'Hare International Airport were evacuated into the lower levels of the complex's buildings late Monday and all flights were temporarily halted, as severe thunderstorms ripping the Midwest overnight ripped roofs from buildings, chased people to shelter and blacked out thousands of homes and businesses and killing one person in Indiana.

By Tuesday afternoon, showers and thunderstorms were scattered from central Illinois into West Virginia.

“It was pretty cramped down there, the whole terminal was down there,” said George Wickens, 50, of London, who was trying to travel to Florida with his family.

The storms did not cause any damage or injuries at O'Hare or Midway Airport, said Department of Aviation spokesman Gregg Cunningham. However, more than 350 flights were canceled at O'Hare and travelers who had already boarded airplanes were taken off and also were sent to the lower levels as a precaution.

Security guards at Chicago's Ogilvie Train Station, just off the Chicago River, ushered people away from large glass windows and into the middle of the building.

“The lightning between the buildings was looking ominous," said Michaela Nelson, 58-year-old singer from Barrington, Ill. "And then it just poured.”

Late Monday, the storms set off tornado warnings for downtown Chicago. Fans were evacuated from the stands at Chicago's Wrigley Field, interrupting the Cubs-Astros game, and travelers were evacuated from the upper levels of terminals and planes at O'Hare International Airport.

The National Weather Service said tornadoes touched down in the Chicago suburbs of Bloomingdale and Bowling Brook, where about 24 homes were damaged, and at Griffith, Ind., where roofs were torn off several homes and businesses. More than 4 inches of rain fell in parts of Indiana.

A disaster area was declared in Griffith, said Town Council President Rick Ryfa.

"It looks like a war zone," Ryfa said.

Near Michigan City, Ind., a tree fell on a car and killed the 23-year-old driver, LaPorte County Deputy Coroner John Sullivan said.

Widespread tree and power line damage was reported in northeastern Illinois.

ComEd spokeswoman Pam Anton said 225,000 of the utility's customers were without power early Tuesday. Because of the number of downed lines, it will be several days before power is completely restored, she said.

The Northern Indiana Public Service Co. reported 52,000 customers still without power Tuesday afternoon.