Tornado kills at least 10 with homes destroyed after tearing through Little Rock, Arkansas causing ‘total destruction’

April 1, 2023 Stan

AT least 10 people have died with dozens reportedly injured after two tornadoes ripped through Arkansas and other midwest states on Friday.

Victims were seen “pouring in” to a nearby hospital after a large twister rocked Central Arkansas.

Over 600 people were feared to be injured after storms blew through Arkansas on Friday, the Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services saidCredit: Getty

At least two tornadoes threatened hundreds of thousands of people, according to the National Weather ServiceCredit: AP

Seven fatalities have been reported across the midwest and widespread damage could be seen throughout Little Rock and neighboring townsCredit: Reuters

Photos from the region showed roofs torn off homes, the insides of buildings ripped to shreds and plenty of flipped cars.

One person was killed and more than two dozen were hurt in the Little Rock area, authorities said.

The town of Wynne in northeastern Arkansas was also torn apart, with four deaths reported there, per CNN.

It’s understood thousands of homes have been destroyed in the violent storm, which raged from Illinois to Texas, officials said.

More reports of casualties have flooded in on Saturday, with state officials in Indiana reporting three deaths and Illinois authorities confirming one dead and 28 injured.

In Madison County, Alabama, officials also confirmed in a news conference that one person was killed, along with five others injured.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported one dead and three injured in the storms.

Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle explained that 260 people were attending a heavy metal rock concert at the Apollo Theatre in Illinois when the roof collapsed, per AOL.

This resulted in one death and several injuries.

It remains unclear how the three casualties in Indiana occurred, but Sgt. Matt Ames told NBC News that more information would be released when the names of the deceased are announced.

Little information has been given on the circumstances of each death in Alabama and Mississippi at this time as well.

In Arkansas, the Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services initially predicted that 600 people were injured in the twisters, but this figure has not been confirmed.

One hospital in Little Rock took in 21 victims with five of them in critical condition and a second hospital was on standby for an “influx” of patients.

“Prayers for us in Central Arkansas. We just got smoked by a huge tornado,” one person wrote on Twitter.

“Destroyed lots of west Little Rock and North Little Rock. Ex wife works at Baptist Hospital and injured people are pouring in.”

In Wynne, Arkansas, located roughly 100 miles from Little Rock, the police chief said there was “total destruction throughout the town” with dozens of people trapped.

Wynne’s Police Chief Richard Dennis also confirmed that the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, about one hour northwest of Memphis, Tennessee, suffered “total destruction,” per local NBC affiliate KAIT.

A total of 28million Americans were under a tornado watch on Friday evening as dangerous storms continue to wreak havoc on the U.S.

LITTLE ROCK DAMAGE

Two tornadoes were confirmed in the Little Rock area on Friday.

A lot of the severe damage is located in West Little Rock, where multiple commercial and residential have been destroyed, according to Captain Jacob Lear-Sadowsky with the Little Rock Fire Department.

He echoed concerns of a “significant” number of injuries as residents have been asked to stay in their homes so that first responders can reach those in need.

More than 350,000 people were at risk from the “confirmed large and destructive tornado” that ripped through the western part of the city, the National Weather Service said.

The University of Arkansas for Media Sciences declared the situation a level 3 mass casualty event and said they were expecting at least 15 to 20 patients.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order declaring a State of Emergency due to the extreme weather.

Around 450,000 power outages were confirmed on Saturday in Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas, per poweroutage.us.

Another 32,000 outages were reported in nearby Oklahoma.

A temporary emergency shelter has been set up at Hall High School for displaced individuals, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr said.

STATES ON HIGH ALERT

Storms developed in at least 15 states on Friday, leading meteorologists to urge residents in the Midwest and South to take preventative measures.

Rare high-risk tornado warnings were issued for parts of six states, including Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.

The areas most at risk for strong tornadoes included St. Louis; Davenport, Iowa; Peoria, Illinois; Paducah, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Tupelo, Mississippi, according to ABC News.