Bob Blankenship, mayor of Monette, Arkansas, told CNN his town is in a state of “stunner” after a tornado tore through the area overnight.
Blankenship said as of this morning there have been two deaths in Monette and one in a nearby town.
“It’s just a lot of devastation we haven’t seen in my years working in the emergency services,” Blankenship said. “I’ve always dreaded it coming to my hometown, seeing the devastation in other towns over the years but always feared it came here and reality hit last night.”
The town also lost power, and Blankenship said he doesn’t know when it will be back up and running.
“We still don’t have electricity. Shower units and feeding units will soon arrive from various organizations this morning to help us,” Blancenship added. “There is no time limit or timeframe for power because it covers so many areas.”
Blankenship praises the alert system for residents, saying it has saved many lives. He said the system was activated about 15-20 minutes before the storm was detected 20 miles from Monette. He also said that “sister cities” are helping Monette during this emergency.
Blankenship says he and his family also had to cover up.
“We could hear the forces outside,” says Blankenship. “I always hear people say it’s like a train or something to that effect and I think, ‘it’s all over for us now.'”
The mayor said the town was getting ready.
“We practiced and practiced, but it’s completely different when it comes to reality here,” he added.
Blankenship said one Monette nursing home was hit hard, but many homes were also affected.
Blankenship said: “I got a call that the nursing home had been attacked. “Then several other homes and a housing development across from that nursing home, there were three homes that we know were demolished there and some damaged there and no one was hurt. love.”
Blankenship also said that despite what happened, he’s glad they got rid of the worst.
“We are delighted that Monette was rescued from the worst of these storms,” he said, adding that their hearts go out to the lives lost and their families.
Some context: At least 30 tornadoes were reported overnight, with Kentucky being the worst-affected state.
According to Kentucky governor Andy Beshear, at least 50 people are expected to die.
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