“So we're running about 100 tornadoes above average, and we have been the entire year." “We should be at about 200 tornadoes for today's date,” Victor Gensini, associate professor at Northern Illinois University, told USA TODAY. had already seen the third-most-active start to a year on record. With 311 tornadoes through Thursday, the U.S. It's been a bad start to the USA's tornado season "And know where you're going to go if you hear a tornado warning," she said. Instead, have a weather radio or smartphone at the ready. "Don't rely on outdoor sirens as a warning. 1 message that people need to have is that they need to be prepared," said Pam Knox, director of the University of Georgia Weather Network. Have multiple ways to get updates, including push alerts, local TV reports, weather apps and a NOAA weather radio. Mayor Frank Scott Jr. tweeted that city officials were aware of 24 who had been hospitalized, and said property damage was "extensive." Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock officials told KATV in the afternoon that 21 people had checked in there with tornado-caused injuries, including five in critical condition. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center in Little Rock was operating at a mass casualty level and preparing for up to 20 patients, spokesperson Leslie Taylor said. The Little Rock Fire Department reported heavy damage and debris. A tornado emergency is issued when a severe threat to human life or catastrophic damage is imminent or ongoing. READ MORE: Bad tornado season in US is set to get worse Tornado emergency in Arkansasĭozens were injured as a tornado roared through Little Rock during one of several "tornado emergencies" Friday as the powerful storm system moved across the Mississippi River valley. Is a tornado watch or warning worse?: What to know about preparing for these violent storms The storms sped across the Mississippi Valley Friday just a week after another tornado outbreak killed 21 people in Mississippi, including a long-track twister that destroyed much of Rolling Fork and brought President Joe Biden to the community on Friday.įorecasters also are warning the Mississippi Valley will face another round of severe storms and a potential tornado outbreak on Tuesday. Residents were urged to take cover in basements and interior rooms away from windows. The destructive weather came as President Joe Biden toured the aftermath of a deadly tornado that struck in Mississippi one week ago and promised the government would help the area recover.įriday's storm threats continued throughout the evening, with the National Weather Service warning supercell storms were increasing the threat of tornadoes across east central Arkansas near the Mississippi and Tennessee borders. More than seven tornadoes and large hail were confirmed by the weather service across Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, and Tennessee. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a tweet that his office is “closely monitoring” the situation.Another tornado ripped through Wynne, in eastern Arkansas, killing two, trapping others in debris and causing widespread damage. One of the other bands set to play, Revocation, said in a Facebook post that "everyone in the bands and crew are safe." It added, "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this disaster." The night's headliner, metal band Morbid Angel, announced on Facebook that their show was canceled due to the weather. The venue's event coordinator estimated that approximately 260 concertgoers, staff and performers were in the theater, the chief said. ![]() Rescue teams performed an initial search of the theater and were carrying out a second search, "looking into the stabilization of the building,” Schadle said. Twenty-eight people were taken to hospital by ambulance, he said, adding that five had severe injuries. ![]() ![]() ![]() It is not yet clear whether the storm caused the theater's roof to cave in.įirst responders arrived within minutes of the collapse and began pulling people from the debris, Belvidere Fire Department Chief Shawn Schadle said. The collapse occurred as a storm hit Belvidere's Boone County, with winds in the area reported to be in excess of 50 mph. More than 200 people were packed inside the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, for an event when its roof collapsed Friday night, leaving one person dead and dozens injured, the city fire chief said. Rescuers work the scene at the Apollo Theatre after a severe spring storm caused damage and injuries during a concert, late Friday in Belvidere, Illinois.
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