A series of violent tornadoes ripped through Arkansas, leaving at least three dead and dozens injured late Friday. In addition, numerous homes and buildings were damaged and thousands of homes were left without power.
BREAKING: A large tornado has touched down in Little Rock, Arkansas. Further details:
- Touched down in the Northwestern side of the city.
- Reports indicate that one of the local fire stations have suffered heavy damage.
- Many homes in area also damaged severely according to… pic.twitter.com/AkoRQ6vOK2— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) March 31, 2023
The first fatality was reported in Pulaski County, north of Little Rock. County spokeswoman Madeline Roberts confirmed to CNN that more than 50 people were hospitalized in this area, although that number could grow. The other two deaths occurred in the eastern part of the state, in the city of Wynne.
In addition to fatalities and injuries, the tornadoes destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings. Power outages were also reported, affecting more than 75,000 people according to the web portal Poweroutage.us.
State of emergency
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency due to the storm and tornadoes:
Here at the Capitol I just signed an executive order declaring that a State of Emergency exists in the State of Arkansas due to today’s severe weather. We will spare no resource to assist with response and recovery efforts for Arkansans impacted. pic.twitter.com/FsY47vOusn
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) March 31, 2023
In a press conference, Huckabee Sanders assured that the state will prioritize residents over red tape and paperwork:
Our message and our mission are really simple: the people will come first and the paperwork will come second.
We will ensure that every Arkansan who needs help receives it. pic.twitter.com/NbsRhqWEZT
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) April 1, 2023
Four dead in Illinois and Indiana
The aggressive storm left four more fatalities. In Illinois, about 80 miles from Chicago, high winds caused the roof of a theater to collapse, killing one person. A concert was being held inside with approximately 260 people in attendance. In Sullivan County (Indiana), three people were killed by the storms.
The storm and tornadoes also affected Tennessee, where five people had to be hospitalized in the city of Covington, about 40 miles from Memphis. Hail in northern Illinois damaged buildings and dozens of cars. A tornado with winds of up to 170 mph was recorded in Rolling Fork County, Mississippi.
As of Friday, more than 75 million people are on alert for a new storm that could affect areas in the south from Texas to Alabama as well as northern states, specifically Michigan and Wisconsin.
