Dangerous Storms & Tornadoes impact the Midwest

Photo Credit: Lawrence Bryant/Reuters

May 18th, 2025

Nesha D Abiraj

Climate Rights & Justice International

Southern Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri & other parts of the Midwest have been impacted by dangerous tornadoes. Radar confirmed a tornado above Venice, Illinois, at approximately 2:50 p.m. CDT on Friday May 16th, 2025. This comes on the heels of severe storms plowing through the Chicago area, after record-breaking high temperatures created favorable conditions for an outbreak of dangerous weather conditions.

Climate Rights & Justice International will continue to monitor this tragic development which has resulted in loss of life, personal injuries & property damage. For those impacted by Friday's deadly tornadoes and storms, humanitarian aid is being provided by the American Red Cross .

Without urgent climate action, we can expect more frequent and extreme weather events. These extreme weather events coupled with increased heating and air pollution can lead to climate related disease outbreaks and more pandemics. Vector borne diseases such as dengue and malaria are expected to become more easily transmissible. Further, as a result of the mental distress faced by those impacted, worsening mental health is also a major concern.

Additionally, events such as these can escalate wealth disparities among & within those States which are most vulnerable to climate disasters, aggravating cycles of inequality and deepening health and social inequities. The toll the climate crisis is taking on humanity is undisputed. How we respond as communities, cities, states, and countries, will not only determine our present and future but also the quality of life future generations will inherit.

The Climate crisis is undermining human rights on a global scale — from growing threats to life and health from extreme weather events and vector-borne diseases to food and water scarcity to housing insecurity and threats to democracy from socioeconomic instability.

In this moment of crisis we call for solidarity and urgent climate action as extreme weather events, increase in frequency and continue to negatively impact lives across states and countries. The climate crisis is a global crisis which requires global solutions. The responsibly to act falls to each of us.

"The time is always right to what is right." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Climate Rights & Justice International is a 501 (c) (3) US Federal Public Charity.