NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A deadly storm system swept through the central part of the country on Friday, creating violent tornadoes in Arkansas that collapsed a roof at a crowded concert venue in Illinois. and caused millions of people to watch tornadoes from Texas to Michigan.
In Arkansas, the governor declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon after officials said one person was killed in North Little Rock and two in Wynne, about 100 miles east, during storms separate tornado.
The mayor of Little Rock, Frank Scott Jr., said at least 30 people were hospitalized there and more than 2,000 homes were damaged. The storm caused great damage to businesses and apartment complexes, local police speak.
In Wynne, Mayor Jennifer Hobbs told CNN that the town was “cut into .” half the damage from east to west.” The exact extent of the damage was not immediately clear and a dispatcher at the police department declined to comment early Saturday. A middle school in town has been opened for those seeking shelter and food.
On Friday night in northwestern Illinois, one person was killed and 28 others hospitalized after a roof collapsed at a Belvidere theater with 260 people inside, fire chief Shawn Schadle said. told reporters at the scene. He said five people were seriously injured.
Footage posted to social media appears to show patrons at the venue, Apollo TheaterTry to find people underneath the rubble.
One of the bands on the bill, Morbid Angel, said in a Facebook post that the band members are still sheltering in place at the venue. The National Weather Service reports “possible tornado damage” in Belvière.
About 200 miles south, in the village of Sherman, Ill., more than a dozen homes were significantly damaged, Mayor Trevor J. Clatfelter said by phone Friday night. He said the storm had also caused serious gas leaks, power outages and downed power poles throughout the village.
In Covington, Tenn., six patients were hospitalized after a tornado hit the city, Kimberly Alexander, a spokeswoman for Baptist Memorial Hospital, said by phone Friday night. ABOVE FacebookThe Covington Police Department described the city as “impregnable.”
In addition to Arkansas, Illinois, and Tennessee, tornadoes were also reported National Weather Service throughout Wisconsin, Iowa, and Mississippi.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that officials there were on alert about the rising death toll. “We hope that doesn’t happen, but I think given the nature and volatility of the situation, we are definitely preparing for it to happen,” she said at a press conference on Friday evening. Friday.
Little Rock mayor Scott said at a news conference Friday night that more than 30 people have been hospitalized in the city. He added that many residents have also been displaced.
In an interview, Mr. Scott said at least 2,100 homes were destroyed by the tornado and it was too early to know how much damage could be.
“I think we’ll fix the damage in a week, if not longer,” Mr Scott said.
In addition to a tornado emergency for parts of Little Rock, forecasters also declared a state of emergency for the surrounding areas of Sherwood and Jacksonville, Ark. More than 100,000 customers in Illinois and 65,000 customers in Arkansas were without power Friday night, according to PowerOutage.usaggregate data from utilities across the country.
Baptist Health’s medical centers in Little Rock and North Little Rock have treated a total of 21 patients – five of whom are in critical condition – Cara Wade, a spokeswoman, said early Thursday night. Six. The two hospitals had predicted a spike in patient numbers.
Joshua Cook, a spokesman for CHI St. Vincent, said the hospital’s emergency department was receiving “a large number of injured people,” but he did not know their severity.
Leslie Taylor, a spokeswoman for the University of Arkansas for Health Sciences, said at least three trauma patients were taken to the hospital.
In Indian Hills, a middle-class neighborhood in North Little Rock, more than a dozen homes appear to have been damaged, including the home of 95-year-old Mildred Loy, who said she was nearly crushed when one the tree fell over the roof.
Ms Loy said her carer lifted her off the sofa and moved her to the hallway, where she climbed on top of Ms Loy to protect her. Ms Loy said: ‘As she lay down we heard an explosion. “It fell right where I was sitting.”
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Little Rock had to move into a tornado shelter Friday afternoon, as it became apparent that their office was in the tornado’s path. Desiree Meadows, a meteorologist in Memphis, said the Weather Service’s Memphis office planned to issue warnings and monitor weather on their behalf.
Stephanie Carruthers, manager at the Trio restaurant at Pavilion in the Park shopping center in Little Rock, said about 25 employees and customers made it through the storm safely in the kitchen.
Mrs Carruthers said: ‘It blew by too quickly. “It started to rain heavily so we all ran to the kitchen. I turned around, and the front door just exploded.
Officials from fire departments in the Little Rock area said search and rescue teams were on the ground, checking house-to-house for injured residents.
Captain Dustin Free, spokesman for the North Little Rock Fire Department, said: “At this point, it doesn’t look like there are many people. However, he added, the situation remained very fluid.
Footage posted to social media appears to show a big tornado landed in Sigourney, a town of about 2,000 people about 70 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Other pictures from the area seem to show destroyed building And upside down car.
Manny Galvez, a resident of Coralville, a city about 20 miles south of Cedar Rapids, said he ducked into his basement just before 5pm. About 40 minutes later, nearby houses were ripped apart and the truck overturned.
Storms could affect parts of Mississippi that were devastated last week by tornadoes left in at least 26 people died.
President Biden on Friday visited rolling fork, the Mississippi community was hardest hit by tornadoes last week. The tornado killed 13 people and destroyed homes and businesses in Rolling Fork and surrounding Sharkey counties.
Report contributed by Robert Chiarito, Amanda Holpuch, Derrick Bryson Taylor, John Keefe And Tim Wallace
