At least 7 injured as Arkansas tornado hits school, homes
A gymnasium at an elementary school was struck but no children were inside at the time. Many businesses and charitable groups have already begun providing food and shelter as severe storms moved through Arkansas and other parts of the South Wednesday.
By
Marianne Mizera, AccuWeather front page editor
Published Mar 30, 2022 3:23 PM EST
|
Updated Mar 31, 2022 8:11 AM EST
AccuWeather's Bill Wadell reported from Springdale, Arkansas, where meteorologists say they are seeing damage consistent with at least an EF2 tornado.
At least seven people were injured, two critically, in Springdale, Arkansas, on Wednesday morning after a tornado swept through the area shortly after 4 a.m. CDT, officials said.
Mayor Doug Sprouse issued an emergency proclamation after the twister, adding at the time that no fatalities had been reported in the city located in the northwest corner of Arkansas, near the borders of Oklahoma and Missouri, about a three-hour drive from Little Rock.
"Many residents have been displaced from their homes and numerous businesses have reported significant damages," he said.
Springdale police said at least two of the injured were critically hurt and that all seven have been hospitalized.
A gymnasium at George Elementary School in the city took a direct hit, as did nearby houses. The school's cafeteria and kitchen were also heavily damaged, according to AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on Twitter that luckily there were no students inside the school at the time since school had not opened for the day.
Officials said school staff nevertheless went door-to-door to check on the students and their families.
“Lots of damage, but our priority is our kids and making sure they’re okay,” Wendi Pickard, an instructional facilitator at George Elementary School, told AccuWeather's Wadell. "They’re scared. They’re terrified. They want hugs and know that someone is taking care of them and thinking about them. Parents are appreciative.”
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A survey team with the National Weather Service office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, issued a preliminary rating, saying that the twister was “at least EF2" strength. As the damage survey continued, the final rating was increased to EF3.
The Springdale Fire Department said the southeastern part of the city sustained "significant damage," and the police announced that a number of streets remained closed due to downed power lines, trees, and traffic lights.
The EF3 twister, which blew through with wind speeds as high as 145-mph, tossed a family's SUV into the air and left it sitting upside-down next to the home, tore the roofs off of several homes and flattened some buildings, drone footage from the scene showed.
More than 12,000 households and businesses were without power in Arkansas as of Wednesday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
“We are mobilizing volunteers and resources to help our residents over the coming days and weeks that have been impacted by this storm,” Sprouse said. “Several area churches, businesses, and individuals have reached out to see how they can help.”
Cleanup from the disaster could take weeks, he said.
Tornado watches were issued for a slew of places in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas as the severe weather system charged eastward on Wednesday.
Reporting by Bill Wadell.
For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Severe Weather
At least 7 injured as Arkansas tornado hits school, homes
A gymnasium at an elementary school was struck but no children were inside at the time. Many businesses and charitable groups have already begun providing food and shelter as severe storms moved through Arkansas and other parts of the South Wednesday.
By Marianne Mizera, AccuWeather front page editor
Published Mar 30, 2022 3:23 PM EST | Updated Mar 31, 2022 8:11 AM EST
AccuWeather's Bill Wadell reported from Springdale, Arkansas, where meteorologists say they are seeing damage consistent with at least an EF2 tornado.
At least seven people were injured, two critically, in Springdale, Arkansas, on Wednesday morning after a tornado swept through the area shortly after 4 a.m. CDT, officials said.
Mayor Doug Sprouse issued an emergency proclamation after the twister, adding at the time that no fatalities had been reported in the city located in the northwest corner of Arkansas, near the borders of Oklahoma and Missouri, about a three-hour drive from Little Rock.
"Many residents have been displaced from their homes and numerous businesses have reported significant damages," he said.
Springdale police said at least two of the injured were critically hurt and that all seven have been hospitalized.
A gymnasium at George Elementary School in the city took a direct hit, as did nearby houses. The school's cafeteria and kitchen were also heavily damaged, according to AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on Twitter that luckily there were no students inside the school at the time since school had not opened for the day.
Officials said school staff nevertheless went door-to-door to check on the students and their families.
“Lots of damage, but our priority is our kids and making sure they’re okay,” Wendi Pickard, an instructional facilitator at George Elementary School, told AccuWeather's Wadell. "They’re scared. They’re terrified. They want hugs and know that someone is taking care of them and thinking about them. Parents are appreciative.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
A survey team with the National Weather Service office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, issued a preliminary rating, saying that the twister was “at least EF2" strength. As the damage survey continued, the final rating was increased to EF3.
The Springdale Fire Department said the southeastern part of the city sustained "significant damage," and the police announced that a number of streets remained closed due to downed power lines, trees, and traffic lights.
The EF3 twister, which blew through with wind speeds as high as 145-mph, tossed a family's SUV into the air and left it sitting upside-down next to the home, tore the roofs off of several homes and flattened some buildings, drone footage from the scene showed.
More than 12,000 households and businesses were without power in Arkansas as of Wednesday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
“We are mobilizing volunteers and resources to help our residents over the coming days and weeks that have been impacted by this storm,” Sprouse said. “Several area churches, businesses, and individuals have reached out to see how they can help.”
Cleanup from the disaster could take weeks, he said.
Tornado watches were issued for a slew of places in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas as the severe weather system charged eastward on Wednesday.
Reporting by Bill Wadell.
For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo