Sections south and southwest of downtown Chicago were hit the hardest.
Some people were just getting back into their homes Friday. Heavy rain chased a few people out.
A small creek in suburban Robbins that caused big trouble for one woman when it swelled and the high water threatened homes.
Vanessa Banks returned to the home in Robbins Friday morning after she was ordered to evacuate with her children Thursday due to heavy flooding.
"I couldn't stay here because they did emergency evacuation for us to get out," said Banks.
Banks, who is eight months pregnant, says the water never got inside her home. She and her family spent Thursday night on cots at a Red Cross shelter set up at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island.
"I woke up this morning and I was in so much pain," said Banks. "We didn't really eat anything."
The shelter is expected to be open a few days to aid victims from the thunderstorms.
"We are trying to be around up to at least three days," said Red Cross volunteer Tyree Davis.
The Red Cross says 50 families needed help, but only five people used the shelter Thursday night. A total of 165,000 ComEd customers lost power since Wednesday night. A spokesperson says all power should be restored by the end of the day.
The South Side of Chicago and south suburbs were hit hardest by the storms, flooding basements in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood, brought down power lines in Bellwood, and soaked Lockport and Romeoville.
Banks is concerned about more rain in the forecast and what it will mean for her family.
"I do worry because I think that any kind of rain will probably make a downpour over back into the yard again, but I'm just blessed to be home right now," said Banks.
As of 11:00 A.M. Friday, ComEd said there were 3,700 customers without power, 2,800 of them in theirsouth region. ComEd says they should have all of the lights back on by the end of the day Friday.
