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Gov. Hutchinson Declares State Of Emergency After Severe Storms In Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KFSM) — Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has declared a state of emergency following severe weather that hit Arkansas Friday (Jan. 10) night ...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KFSM) — Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has declared a state of emergency following severe weather that hit Arkansas Friday (Jan. 10) night into early Saturday (Jan. 11) morning.

The proclamation states:

Severe storms and straight-line winds struck various areas of the state and have since limited commercial vehicles from accomplishing their designated responsibilities of hauling heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware, and other distribution equipment to line crews to restore power to the citizens of Arkansas. Great hardship was brought upon businesses, citizens, and their public and private property.

In the proclamation, Hutchinson invokes emergency executive powers and to "suspend the provisions of regulating statues prescribing procedures for conduct of the State Office of Purchasing, the Arkansas Building Authority, the State Office of Personnel Management, and all other State departments and agencies."

This is to render the maximum assistance to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, relative to any potential help to the disposal site and to the rendering of assistance to political subdivisions.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-2 tornado with 115 mph winds struck eastern Logan County and an EF-1 tornado caused damage in Lonoke County.

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