Tags:
| Updated: 1/23/2012 3:50 pm |
Published: 1/23/2012 8:49 am |
FORDYCE, Ark. (AP) - The National Weather Service says no injuries or deaths were reported when high winds and suspected tornadoes struck the state Sunday night.
Meteorologist B.J. Simpson says the most significant damage in the state was about 4 miles northeast of Fordyce, where houses were damaged and trees and power lines were knocked down. The weather service will send a team out Monday to determine whether it was a tornado or high winds that caused the damage.
Simpson says the storm system that produced the suspected tornado near Fordyce had strong rotation for about 120 miles across the southeastern part of the state.
There were also reports of tornadoes in Dallas, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln and Lonoke counties.
Entergy Arkansas says more than 3,600 customers were without power Monday morning.
©2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
2 dead in Ala. as storms pound South, Midwest
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Two people have died in the Birmingham, Ala., area as storms pounded the South and Midwest, prompting tornado warnings in a handful of states early Monday.
Jefferson County sheriff's spokesman Randy Christian said a 16-year-old boy was killed in Clay and an 82-year-old man died in the community of Oak Grove.
A storm system produced a possible tornado that moved across northern Jefferson County around 3:30 a.m., causing damage in Oak Grove, Graysville, Fultondale, Centerpoint, Clay and Trussville, Christian said. He said several homes were destroyed and numerous injuries were reported.
"Some roads are impassable, there are a number of county roads where you have either debris down, trees down, damage from homes," said Yasamie Richardson, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Jefferson County experienced "significant damage," she said.
Elsewhere in the area, searchers were going from house-to-house in an effort to rescue people trapped in their homes.
Fire crews were starting the search in Center Point, north of Birmingham, where there were reports of an unknown number of people trapped, Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency Duty Manager
Bob Ammons said. Rescuers would do "whatever it takes" to get to the residents, Ammons told The Associated Press before dawn Monday.
In Clanton, about 50 miles south of Birmingham, rescuers were responding to reports of a trailer turned over with people trapped, City Clerk Debbie Orange said.
In Arkansas, there were possible tornadoes in Arkansas, Dallas, Lonoke, Prairie and Cleveland counties Sunday night. The storms also brought hail and strong winds as they moved through parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois and Mississippi.
Tornado warnings were issued for parts of Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.
National Weather Service forecaster Marlene Mickelson in Memphis, Tenn., told The Associated Press the Memphis area had some damage from winds that reached 60 to 70 mph.
Arkansas Storm Damages
North Little Rock, AR. – The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management has received damage reports due to the severe weather activity of January 22.
Arkansas County
One mobile home has been reported destroyed and one home with major damage in the Dewitt area. The Dewitt airport has sustained minor damage as well as a couple of grain bins.
Dallas County
Approximately 15-20 homes in the city of Fordyce have been reported with moderate to major damage with five to eight of those being a total loss. Power outages and trees down have been reported throughout the county.
Howard County
Power outages and trees down have been reported throughout the county.
Jefferson County
There were reports of a damaged gas line in Cornerstone on Hwy 88. The line was shut off. Power lines are reported down throughout the county.
Phillips County
Two mobile homes are reported destroyed in the White Camp/Calico Bottoms area.
Pike County
Power outages and trees down have been reported throughout the county.
