Crowds of passengers took shelter inside O'Hare Airport as hundreds of flights are delayed amid severe storms, tornado warnings: 'I have never seen anything like this'

• Storms and tornadoes are battering central US states like Illinois, Indiana, and Arkansas.

• Flights were grounded at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport.

• Photos on social media show crowds of people sheltering in place at O'Hare.

Crowds of travelers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport sheltered inside the airport's Tunnel of Lights as hundreds of flights were canceled due to weather in the area, social media posts show.

As storms hammer the central US region, flights were grounded at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

As of Friday evening, 281 flights were canceled at O'Hare, while 129 have been canceled at Midway. Both airports released a statement Friday evening telling travelers to "exercise caution."

Kaitlyn Hoch, a traveler heading to Cleveland, Ohio, from O'Hare, told Insider that her flight was supposed to leave at 6:37 p.m., but was canceled due to the weather. While waiting to board at the United Club, Hoch said staff asked people to evacuate to the Tunnel of Lights, a tunnel that connects the United concourses at the airport.