UPDATE: Tornado tears through shopping area in Arkansas; 6 injured
A tornado ripped through northeast Arkansas on Saturday, leaving six people hurt after hitting commercial and residential areas in the college town of Jonesboro.
The six people reported injured were taken to a local hospital with minor juries, Jonesboro E-911 Director Jeff Presley told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The tornado did major damage at the Mall at Turtle Creek and Jonesboro Municipal Airport.
“Police are doing search and rescue on vehicles right now,” Presley said. “We have red lights out all over town as well.”
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Most stores in the Mall at Turtle Creek were closed Saturday to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The National Weather Service tweeted a video from the Arkansas Department of Transportation that showed a large tornado dropping from storm clouds in Jonesboro.
5:20 PM-Here is a look at the tornado that intensified and moved through Jonesboro, AR this evening around 5 PM. @NWSMemphis continues to monitor this storm as it moves northeast, very dangerous! #arwx pic.twitter.com/3OXFEszbuq
— NWS Little Rock (@NWSLittleRock) March 28, 2020
U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, who represents much of eastern Arkansas, said on Twitter that a tornado tore through "the heart of town" and asked for prayers for first responders. Crawford said his staff and family were safe.
I hope you will pray for Jonesboro and northeast Arkansas. In the midst of everything, a tornado just went through the heart of town. None of my staff have been hurt and my family are okay. Unsure of others - please pray for first responders now being dispatched.
— Rep Rick Crawford (@RepRickCrawford) March 28, 2020
Jonesboro is home to Arkansas State University. The university tweeted that campus was not damaged.
There is no damage at A-State, but based on the extensive tornado damage in Jonesboro the city has issued a city-wide curfew starting at 7 p.m.
— Arkansas State (@ArkansasState) March 28, 2020
Forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, warned that a severe weather outbreak was possible later Saturday for much of the central U.S. Forecasters said tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds are possible, particularly in parts of Illinois and Iowa.
