On Friday, central Arkansas and Wynne were hit by tornadoes, resulting in numerous injuries and the loss of five lives. The process of recovering has already begun on Saturday.
Four deaths were reported in Wynne and one in North Little Rock.
The tornadoes were a component of a powerful storm system that passed through the central region of America on Friday and Saturday.
Alabama, Indiana, and Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas were among the states where casualties were documented. According to ABC News, tornado damage in 60 areas across eight states since Friday afternoon led to a minimum of 21 fatalities.
According to the National Weather Service, there were over 800 reports of damaging hail, winds, and tornadoes on Friday. The majority of these reports came from the valleys of Tennessee and Ohio and extended eastward from Arkansas to Iowa.
According to the city, over 50 individuals sustained injuries in Little Rock, and approximately 2,648 buildings were affected.
Twenty-eight individuals sought medical treatment at a hospital in Wynne.
Utilities reported that on Friday night, approximately 75,000 residents of Arkansas experienced power outages, with around 50,000 being affected in Pulaski County.
In Wynne, there were 2,943 people affected by the power outages in County Cross and 28,388 people affected in County Pulaski, resulting in a total of 31,556 individuals experiencing reduced power in the late afternoon of Saturday.
TORNADO TRACKS.
Since 1999, it seemed to be the most powerful tornado to strike the capital city. EF3 tornadoes have a maximum wind speed of 165 miles per hour. The meteorological service verified significant EF3 destruction in Little Rock caused by the tornado that occurred on Friday.
On the Enhanced Fujita Scale, EF3 is classified as “severe” — just below EF4, which is classified as “devastating.”
While many homes in Pulaski County suffered damage to their roofs or walls, a handful were entirely destroyed, resulting in only the presence of concrete steps and foundations.
At weather.Gov/lzk/svr0323a.Htm, the weather service shared, “The tornado followed a path starting from the western part of Little Rock and moving through North Little Rock, Sherwood, and Jacksonville (all located in Pulaski County) before eventually losing strength on the southern side of Cabot (Lonoke County).” “Up until now, the tornado has been given an EF3 rating/peak wind of 165 mph,” this information is based on an initial assessment of the damage.
The meteorological service depicted it as a horrifying situation in Central Arkansas.
According to the website, there was a reported cloud funnel near Pearcy in Garland County at around 1:18 pm. In fact, the storm showed signs of becoming tornadic, with rotating updrafts, during the early afternoon in Saline County, southwest of Pike County to the north.
A tornado warning was issued at 2:03 pm. It moved downhill and quickly spun up into a tornado. The intersection of Interstates 630 and 430, located about two miles to the west-northwest, experienced destructive and life-threatening destruction. The situation became clear at this point. An emergency tornado was posted at 2:28 pm.
By 2:40 p.M. On Friday, the storm was in close proximity to Jacksonville. Approximately two hours later, a fresh supercell was approaching Wynne around 4:45 p.M.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
Joe Goudsward, a meteorologist with the North Little Rock office of the weather service, stated that on Saturday, a group of five individuals from his workplace were assessing the destruction caused by the storm in Pulaski County.
He mentioned that they also received reports of potential tornadoes in Garland and Clark counties.
“We have multiple storms to explore,” stated Goudsward. “Unfortunately, we do not currently have anyone available to venture down there.”
He stated that it might require a week before the complete evaluation of the destruction is conducted.
According to its website, the meteorological service stated that there were “at least several tornadoes” in Arkansas on Friday.
According to the meteorological service, “Several supercells rotated for over 100 miles.” “Subsequent storm assessments will ascertain the number of tornadoes that transpired and their severity.”
Since January 21, 1999, when a tornado with a rating of F3 hit Little Rock, it has been considered one of the strongest tornadoes to occur. Goudsward mentioned that the tornado on Friday appeared to have caused significant damage, similar to the F3 tornado that hit Little Rock on January 21, 1999.
Andy Chiuppi, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Memphis office, said they hadn’t put an estimate on the severity of that suspected tornado.
“It will likely be a multi-day investigation,” he stated. “Clearly, there is a great deal of destruction.”
On Saturday, Chiuppi stated that the winds were still powerful, which could potentially hinder the progress of conducting an aerial survey. He mentioned that the area experienced sustained winds of 20 mph, with gusts reaching up to 35 mph.
“The rear part of this trough is still in motion,” he stated.
To assist in the clearance of roads and the provision of traffic control, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has mobilized 100 individuals from the Arkansas National Guard and officially declared a state of emergency.
Sanders spent the day touring damaged neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Sherwood, and North Little Rock, before making stops in Little Rock throughout Saturday.
She had a conversation with President Joe Biden via phone on Saturday morning regarding the tornadoes.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, “The President conveyed his endorsement for the individuals of Arkansas and stressed that the federal government is prepared to aid.” “Governor Sanders expressed gratitude to the President for the tight cooperation of his team and for the Administration’s dedication to assisting response and recovery endeavors throughout central Arkansas and in Wynne. The governor informed the president that the people of Arkansas are tenacious and will construct a more robust foundation than previously.”
LITTLE ROCK.
Biden also reached out to Mayor Frank Scott Jr. Of Little Rock, according to Aaron Sadler, a spokesperson for the city.
According to a news release from the city, the president promised federal assistance for Little Rock.
As stated in the announcement, Pulaski County declared a state of emergency on Friday. Scott will announce a state of emergency within the city, which is the first action towards obtaining federal and state assistance for the disaster.
Scott, along with representatives from the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management, accompanied Sanders on Saturday to assess some of the most severely affected regions and meet with impacted residents.
Scott expressed, “We are extremely grateful that there were no reported losses in our community, but it was a heartbreaking day for us. The catastrophic storm tore through our neighborhoods, damaging thousands of structures and injuring dozens of people.”
We are a resilient community, and today I have more confidence and faith in our strength than ever before. I have heard from courageous survivors who will rebuild and recover, as I walked through neighborhoods that were ravaged by the storm for less than 24 hours.
As stated in the news release, contributions are currently being welcomed via the Little Rock Cares Emergency Relief Fund. The funds will be utilized to aid individuals impacted by the tornado, and tax-free contributions to the fund will be acknowledged. Individuals have the option to make donations via littlerock.Gov, the official website of the city.
The Little Rock Fire Training Academy, located at 7000 Murray Drive, accepts donations daily between 7 a.M. And 3 p.M. The city is currently receiving contributions of water and non-perishable food items.
Individuals who wish to help in the recovery and cleanup endeavors are encouraged to register at littlerock.Gov/volunteer.
According to the release, by Saturday afternoon, all roadways in Little Rock were free of obstructions and open for traffic.
Police officers and firefighters were working overtime across the city, with extra personnel deployed to the regions impacted by the catastrophe.
The American Red Cross has opened an emergency shelter at Calvary Baptist Church, located at 5700 Cantrell Road.
Rock Region Metro is providing complimentary bus trips throughout the weekend.
Complimentary meals are available at the Wolfe Street Center, located at 1015 Louisiana St.
The tempest affected at least 2,100 residents in the western and southwestern regions of Little Rock, as stated by Scott during a media briefing on Saturday.
He mentioned, “Numerous individuals have been uprooted and are seeking refuge.” “It is thanks to the benevolence of the Almighty that no casualties have occurred.”
On Saturday at 4 p.M., A representative from Health Baptist, Wade Cara, stated that seven patients who were injured in the storm were admitted to the intensive care unit of their healthcare facility. Among them, four individuals required intensive care.
Andrea Peel, a spokesperson for UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, stated that the hospital has downgraded its mass casualty alert and returned to normal operations. Three trauma patients are currently receiving care at the medical center.
The hospital did not have any patients with injuries that were life-threatening due to the tornado. However, Joshua Cook, a spokesperson for CHI St. Vincent Infirmary, mentioned that the hospital had a significant influx of patients on Friday.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK.
The storm caused damage to over 500 residences, according to North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick. The storm primarily impacted residential areas in the city.
According to Hartwick, over 10,000 households were still experiencing a power outage. The severe weather in North Little Rock traveled in a northeasterly direction from Burns Park, causing destruction along a 5 to 6 mile stretch that was approximately 400 yards wide.
The city’s loss of approximately 100 utility poles was acknowledged by him. Hartwick stated that in the upcoming days, the city would prioritize power restoration, and most of the streets in North Little Rock were reopened on Saturday.
“There’s a considerable amount of cleanup,” he stated. “It’s not going to take a week or two, it will require several months.”
On Saturday, Hartwick implemented a curfew for several sections of the town.
The areas subject to the curfew include Burns Park, Sierra Madre, Amboy, Ranch Estates, Foxboro, Alta Vista, Donovan Briley Road area, Oakview, Remount Road, the Kierre Road area, Cobbleston, Indian Hills, Shady Valley, and Windsor Valley.
The curfew will be in operation from 8 p.M. Today to 6 a.M. Monday.
Some individuals who are exempted from the curfew are government employees carrying out official tasks, medical personnel fulfilling official responsibilities, and accredited members of the media, among others.
In a press statement, Gregory J. Pilewski, the superintendent of schools, mentioned that Amboy Elementary School and Indian Hills Elementary School experienced a power outage on Saturday, whereas the buildings in the North Little Rock School District were not affected by any structural harm.
“Currently, we are unsure about the timeframe for the restoration of power to those campuses,” he mentioned.
The municipality’s website is directing donations to the First Assembly of God Rock Little North, located at 4501 Burrow Drive in the city of Drive Burrow 4501.
On Saturday, the city was only asking for donations of work gloves. They provided five-gallon buckets with lids, as well as batteries, sunscreen, large leaf and lawn bags, new tarps, dust pans and brooms, and rakes.
Arkansas Foodbank is accepting bottled water and “shelf stable snack items” at Dickey-Stephens Park at 400 W Broadway, said the city website.
As per the website, individuals are advised to proceed to the volunteer assembly point at the Edwards Cash Saver located on 3801 Camp Robinson Road if they wish to offer their services as volunteers in North Little Rock.
SHERWOOD.
In Sherwood, Mayor Mary Jo Heye-Townsell said most residents received notice of storms and were able to take shelter and avoid injury.
As the storm appeared to be tearing through the city, the mayor noted that some homes were completely damaged, but she was unsure of how many losses there were. It was bouncing in a straight path rather than a smooth motion.
Since the storm struck, she mentioned that community members, volunteer organizations, and churches have united to assist residents and remove obstacles, with approximately fifty percent of the city experiencing power outages.
“Once the sun rose this morning, there were teams out everywhere,” stated Heye-Townsell.
JACKSONVILLE.
Mayor Jeff Elmore announced on Saturday afternoon that the tempest affected residences, establishments, and places of worship, creating a trail of destruction spanning slightly less than 3 miles in Jacksonville.
Elmore stated that on Friday, the city had conducted two searches in impacted regions and a third on Saturday, although he was uncertain about the number of individuals who had sustained injuries.
Several homes were total losses. All roads in the city were passable on Saturday thanks to help from volunteers, said the mayor.
He stated that the First Baptist Church located at 401 N 1st St. In Jacksonville is currently being utilized as a shelter.
Due to the storms, the Office of Emergency Management in Pulaski County stated on Saturday that there were no individuals who were unaccounted for.
Madeline Roberts, representative for the county, stated that storms had toppled trees in a non-incorporated region of Pulaski County on Colonel Glenn Road, beyond the boundaries of the city.
Roberts mentioned that the hurricanes impacted individuals involved in supplying accommodations and collaborating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as those responsible for removing debris. He added that the county would assist in the upcoming days.
According to Matt Baldwin, the deputy coroner, additional information is anticipated to be disclosed by officials on Monday. However, on Saturday, he mentioned that Pulaski County has not yet provided any details regarding the individual who was killed in North Little Rock on Friday.
WYNNE.
Cross County Judge Lynn Blake stated that there were four fatalities in and near Wynne as a result of the storm that occurred on Friday. Cross County Coroner Eli Long also confirmed the same number of deaths.
However, in a statement on Saturday afternoon, Mayor Jennifer Wynne said that the number of casualties and the extent of damage have not been determined at this time, “said Hobbs.”
By Saturday afternoon, the initial responders were retracing their steps in their search and rescue operation, seeking survivors amidst the debris.
Blake stated that the devastation occurred on both the western and eastern parts of Wynne, affecting multiple establishments along Falls Boulevard, the primary street of the city. The destruction was so severe that it resulted in the complete destruction of First United Methodist Church and Wynne High School.
On Friday, Blake stated that there was a disastrous declaration and he mentioned that it was necessary to aid the county in receiving the state and federal support required to relocate individuals who have been displaced from their residences.
Blake said, “As long as we have everything and people are safe, we’re doing pretty well. But we can replace all the things that can be replaced, including property. Our biggest concern right now is figuring out where to put people who don’t have homes since we’re still trying to figure that out. What we’re going to do next is our main concern for the upcoming week.”