Tornadic Outbreak Claims Lives of 25 in Central U.S.

Posted: April 3, 2023 8:38 am

It is beginning to feel like a broken record across the central U.S. Another weekend of cleanup was the story for the nation’s heartland after a late week of tornadic outbreak that killed at least 25 people.

As of Sunday morning, the widespread storms are being blamed on at least 25 deaths. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC), there have been almost 80 preliminary reports of tornadoes. A good number of these twisters caused widespread damage to several communities. Here is a recap of the destruction left behind from this weekend’s storm activity by state.

Arkansas

Four people died in Wynne after a tornado swept through the town late Friday. Located about 40 miles west of Memphis, the tornado in Wynne also sent dozens of people to the hospital with injuries. Agencies and crews are still sifting through the rubble looking for survivors.

Wynne High School was significantly damaged during the storm, necessitating that the state department of education scramble to make other arrangements for students.

An EF3 tornado in Little Rock also killed one more person. This twister tore off roofs and left debris scattered across the capital city of Arkansas. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. confirmed that at least two dozen people were hospitalized as a result of injuries sustained by the storm.

Indiana

Sullivan, Indiana was also left devastated by a tornado, killing three people and leaving several homes significantly damaged. Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb confirmed the fatalities while also detailing the damage to over 200 structures from the tornado that roared through the small city in southwestern Indiana late Friday night.

The college town of Bloomington also saw a great amount of storm activity on Friday. Downed trees and power lines littered the city on Saturday morning.

Illinois

The tornadic outbreak also stretched into Illinois, killing four people in Belvidere in Boone County. The town’s Apollo Theater was hosting a sold-out concert when the roof collapsed, sending 48 people to the hospital. The town of Belvidere is located approximately 70 miles northwest of Chicago. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker confirmed that five of those hospitalized individuals were in critical condition as of Sunday morning.

The NWS confirmed that a preliminary EF1 caused the damage to the theater. The four fatalities happened in Boone County and Crawford County.

Mississippi

One person died and four more were injured after a tornado hit the town of Pontotoc, Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. The twister swept through the area early Saturday morning, just one week after over two dozen people lost their lives in the same part of the region.

Alabama

An EF3 tornado roared into northern Alabama early Saturday morning, killing one woman and leaving three more individuals seriously injured. The fatalities happened in Madison County, located just over the border from Tennessee. The woman was killed in her home and was pronounced dead just after 4 am. The three injured people were taken to a hospital in Huntsville, Alabama for treatment.

Tennessee

The same EF3 tornado that hit northern Alabama made its way into Lincoln County, Tennessee, triggering more destruction. Two homes are dealing with collapsed walls while more structures were heavily damaged as the tornado stayed on the ground for a significant amount of time. Fortunately, there were no deaths reported in Tennessee.

Other states that bore the brunt of the tornadic outbreak included Ohio and Iowa. In addition to tornadoes, the outbreak also produced destructive straight-line winds.

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