Arkansas Tornado Injures at Least 6 And Flattens Jonesboro After Doubling In Size In Seconds (Videos)

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A tornado ripped through Jonesboro, Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.

The natural disaster triggered a citywide curfew after powerful winds overturned cars and demolished buildings.

Tornado damages Jonesboro Arkansas on Marc 28 2020, Tornado damages Jonesboro Arkansas on Marc 28 2020 video, Tornado damages Jonesboro Arkansas on Marc 28 2020 pictures
Tornado damages Jonesboro Arkansas on Marc 28 2020. Picture via Twitter

Following extreme lightning storms and giant hail in Oklahoma and Missouri, a large tornado ripped through Jonesboro, Arkansas, destroying everything on its path.

In addition to ravaging several homes and businesses, the storm caused a gas leak in east Jonesboro and partially destroyed a local mall.

Local authorities are currently conducting search and rescue efforts and Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin issued a citywide curfew beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

The National Guard is being deployed to help secure the area.

“We got a lot to secure,” said city spokesperson Bill Campbell. “This is a search-and-rescue mission being conducted across the city, and we are racing against the dark.”

Six people have been hospitalized with injuries, per the Gazette’s report.

The winds were so intense, they derailed a nearby train at around 6 p.m. ET.

And look at the airport below:

Videos and images shared on social media show the terrifying storm as it tears through Jonesboro, leaving flattened buildings in its wake and throwing debris nearly four miles into the air.

The twister grew so quickly, doubling in size just 15 seconds after touching down, that several videos came from residents directly beneath the storm as they attempted to find shelter or flee the scene.

One livestream by a local news station captured the staggering destruction in real-time.

The state’s lieutenant governor, Tim Griffin, called the devastation “heartbreaking” in a tweet Saturday.

Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford also commented via Twitter, saying that the tornado went through “the heart of town.”

Crawford also asked for prayers for the first responders there.

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” tornado watch for swaths of the Midwest through Saturday night.

Some of the other states most at risk for severe winds and hail are Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois.

Discover a map of the different tornado alleys in the US. More extreme weather emergency news on Strange Sounds and Steve Quayle. [Daily Beast, Weather, Gizmodo]

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1 Comment

  1. I ask please in this times with COVID-19 or Disease X please near by cities help these people in Jonesboro since we are all in this together as a spirit of love one another and peace tranquility for all. In middle east when floods hit last year and few days ago no military or government organizations helped the victims instead the cities near by or even far away they sent help themselves to the hit area. We hope Americans help each others in this urgent times regardless color religion or any prejudices because we are all Americans and all have same rights until near futures? Remember many combat ships are in many parts of world out of orders due many personnel has disease X waiting all crew to be checked? So time for a major quakes in Vancouver to Sandi ego or New York east coast is very high with possibilities of San Madrid faults Volcano in Wyoming? Calm before storm?

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