CRAWFORD COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — After severe thunderstorms —and at least four possible tornados— blew into Arkansas around 3 a.m. Tuesday, April 27, many residents across Washington, Madison, Franklin, and Crawford counties were left picking up the pieces.
Power outages were reported across the River Valley, impacting thousands overnight.
Van Buren
Residents of the Magnolia Ridge community in Van Buren said this was one of the worst storms they've ever experienced, comparing the damage to a warzone.
Heather Nelson describes rushing her family to the closest shelter in the middle of the night as suffocating and horrible. "My alarm went off, I was trying to be safe and take precautions, and so when I heard a big gust of wind and the power went out, I thought, 'Okay, it's time to get up.'"
The next time the storms come, Nelson said she's going to be ready, with her kids going to bed "prepared with their jammies and whatever shoes next to them."
Delora Wilkinson, who lives right next door to one of the shelters said she almost didn't make it when "all of a sudden the storm just picked up me and my son. We barely made it. My son had to come and open it up."
Cedarville
A fallen tree struck one Cedarville fire station, piercing the roof and doing significant damage. District 4 Fire Chief Darren Langley said the only thing that stopped the tree from breaking the engine on the truck inside was the rock wall.
Cedarville residents are lucky power only flickered, according to Langley, who said he and his crew have been working to clear debris from around town since early in the morning.
"The department's been going around cutting trees and opening roads after so many were closed down, just working together as a team," said Langley.
Another Cedarville resident, Jeremy Yeager said the fallen debris blocked his driveway, stranding him at home. "The tornado sirens had just finished going off, and I didn't hear anything else until first thing this morning when my wife looked out our window and said, 'Well, looks like we're not going to work this morning.'"
Looking ahead, even more storms are expected on Wednesday, April 8, for up-to-date info, check out our daily weather article here.
PHOTOS: Severe weather early Tuesday morning
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