Storms roar into state, kill 7

LITTLE ROCK — The latest in a series of strong storms to hit Arkansas this year killed seven people Friday.

Victims included a Siloam Springs girl killed when a tree fell on her Benton County bedroom, a father and two sons at home near Center Ridge in Conway County, a couple with their granddaughter snatched from their home near Bee Branch in Van Buren County, and a woman at home in Hensley in Pulaski County.

The toll included 13 people injured and 350 houses damaged or destroyed, said Tommy Jackson, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.

The National Weather Service's North Little Rock office confirmed at least one tornado struck the state Friday. Weather service personnel began tracing one tornado track Friday and will send a second team out today to track another path near Hensley and Carlisle.

"The tornado path we were working on today [Friday] began near Birdtown in Conway County, and we traced it on into Van Buren County," said John Robinson, warning coordination meteorologist with the weather service.

Friday's storms were caused by a cold front from the Plains that moved into western Arkansas overnight Thursday, said Emilie Nipper, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Friday's tornado marks the fifth time since January that twisters have hit the state.

"This is typical of Arkansas' weather in the spring," Nipper said. "We've had more events than usual in January and February, so it seems out of the ordinary now. But it's normal for this time of year."

Jackson compared the repetitive weather pattern to a tune.

"It's the same song, but it's the 10th verse," he said.

The front met with warm, moist Gulf air over the state, producing thunderstorms early Friday morning. As the day warmed, conditions for tornadoes improved as the front passed over Russellville andheaded east, Nipper said.

Storms late Thursday and early Friday also seriously damaged houses and businesses in the Kansas City, Mo., area, and twisters were reported in Oklahoma and Texas. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries in the other states.

SLEEPING TEEN

The first victim was in the northwest part of Arkansas. Eliana Chacon, 15, was killed early Friday when a tree toppled onto the mobile home in which she was sleeping. Her brother, Edwin, 10, was sleeping in the room with her but escaped injury.

"The [rescuers] were cutting and cutting limbs away," said neighbor Billie Jo Kerwin. "They were working like crazy to get to the girl, but she was stuck under the tree. It seems like it took forever, but they finally reached her. They carried her out under a sheet."

Siloam Springs' schools were closed because of power failures and limbs across roads, said a secretary for Assistant Superintendent Kent Raymick.

The storm went through before many people were awake, said John Luther, Washington County's director of emergency management. That's a good reason to own a weather radio, he said.

"That's how I woke up this morning," Luther said.

Later, in Center Ridge in Conway County, authorities reported three deaths, six people with injuries sent to St. Anthony's Medical Center in Morrilton, and 15-20 houses destroyed.

A father and son died when a storm hit their mobile home about 8:30 a.m.

Another son was injured.

Because survivors had not yet been notified, authorities would not confirm the identities of the deceased, but neighbors said the family had lived on M and M Road for about eight years.

"He used to work on the telephone lines in Ohio, I think," said neighbor Don Pearson, 48.

They had five or six horses and a yard full of Chevrolets, which were the man's passion.

Robin Foschee, 39, said the man had a "hell of a sense of humor" and was good fun to hang around.

"Just a good man," she said. "Just a good family."

DAMAGE ALONG U.S. 65

The storm followed a path from Center Ridge through the southern tip of Van Buren County and into Greers Ferry on the northern shore of Greers FerryLake. Damage was extensive along U.S. 65 in the area between Southside and Damascus.

Van Buren County Sheriff Scott Bradley said the tornado killed three people and injured six others; and destroyed 28 homes, six chicken houses, three businesses and a church; and damaged 10 other residences.

Robin and Malcolm Brumley lived with their 4-year-old granddaughter Kadi in the countryside about 2 miles east of downtown Bee Branch.

After the storm, Josh Murphy, a Brumley family friend, searched their property for their animals. He found their bull mastiff trapped in a mangled Kia Sportage. He used a metal pole to wrench the back door loose and carry the dog out. It whimpered as blood oozed outof a gash that exposed its shoulder blade. Murphy planned to euthanize the dog.

"I wish things could be different," he said just before finding the dog. "I wish we could turn time back."

PULASKI COUNTY STORM

A separate storm moved shortly before noon through Pulaski County. Russell Huff and his wife, Karen, were in the living room of their mobile home in Hensley watching television weather reports as the storm approached.

Karen Huff opened the front door.

"I said, 'Here it comes! Here it comes!'" Russell Huff recalled Friday afternoon. "Ain't nothing you can do."

When the storm hit, Russell Huff said, he grabbed the porchrailing, but the winds were so strong that they tossed him more than 100 yards away.

Their house was one of more than two dozen along Sunshine Lane, Hensley Loop and Lonoke Lane that suffered moderate to severe damage, Pulaski County officials said.

"In the blink of an eye, it was over with," Russell Huff said, his body shaking and wet from the storm.

After a few moments, he heard his wife of three years call for help from under a pile of debris.

"I couldn't pull all that off. It was too heavy," Russell Huff said. Neighbors helped him free her.

An ambulance took 46-yearold Karen, whom Pulaski County officials identified as Karen Rylance, away. Her husband endedup sitting in the back seat of a minivan at the Hensley Volunteer Fire Department waiting to find out where she'd been taken.

"I don't know what to do," he said softly as a large tear rolled down his weathered cheek.

So he just sat there with leaves still in his hair and dirt on his jeans. Blood from a cut on his arm dotted the seat in front of him.

Just before 1:30, Russell Huff found out that his wife was at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences emergency room, so a firefighter helped him through the maze of emergency vehicles. As he headed toward Little Rock, he had no idea his wife had already died from head injuries.

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE

Other storm reports included:

Damaged property and blownout electrical service to nearly 6,000 homes and businesses during the morning hours, according to Entergy Arkansas spokesman James Thompson. As of 9 p.m. Friday, 3,200 customers were still without power, including 1,100 in Earle, 640 in Wilson, 550 in Lonoke and 550 in Sheridan. In addition, several hundred customers were without power in Marked Tree, Morrilton and Lake Village. Power was expected to be restored by tonight.

Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas reported 1,000 homes and businesses without power near Bee Branch and Damascus, and another 5,500 near Heber Springs.

Cleburne County officials issued an 8 p.m. curfew for all areas of Cleburne County with storm damage, including Greers Ferry.

Storms damaged 175 homes and destroyed close to 50 structures, said Billy Cockrell, coordinator of the Cleburne County Office of Emergency Services. No injuries had been reportedFriday afternoon, he said. About 9 a.m., the storm hit near Arkansas 16 and Arkansas 92 near Greers Ferry, he said.

A possible tornado ripped through Carlisle in eastern Lonoke County, toppling trees and damaging the city's downtown fire station and elementary school.

There were no injuries, said Jamie Parson, a dispatcher for the Carlisle Police Department. Trees blocked several roads, and workers were clearing them, she said.

"When it started, it got cranked up," Parsons said of the storm. "It was pretty wild."

Two apparent tornadoes struck a rural area of eastern Mississippi County, said David Lendennie, the director of that county's Office of Emergency Management.

Sheriff's deputies tracked one possible tornado as it formed near Lepanto and moved through Etowah, Carrolls Corner and Atheistan. Several mobile homes were damaged, along with at least two homes and a barn, Lendennie said.

One woman was trapped inside her destroyed home but was not injured, he said.

The other apparent tornado was spotted near Bassett in eastern Mississippi County, he said.

Earle High School in Crittenden County was damaged at 3:30 p.m. Friday by strong winds, said Renee Preslar, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.

Earle Industries, a home-furnishings and textile factory, was heavily damaged, she said.

Officials did not know of any injuries. Several homes were damaged, she said.

Pulaski County sheriff's office spokesman John Rehrauer said deputies were told that a home near Perkins Road and Arkansas 365 South had some damaged some beehives. While several people were stung, none required hospitalization.

In Grant County, an apparent twister formed south of Sheridan.

It split trees and damaged several mobile homes and other buildings near the Cross Roads community.

Firefighters went door-todoor in the remote area lookingfor injured and trapped people, but it appeared that the area suffered only property damage.

Parts of Arkansas 35 south of Sheridan and several county roads remained closed throughout the day because of downed power lines and trees.

An apparent twister blew a portion of a mobile home off its foundation onto the road, blocking traffic on Arkansas 35 South near U.S. 167. Crews had it cleared by Friday afternoon.

Sheridan Fire Chief Tim Stuckey estimated that the stormripped a two-mile path through the area.

In Monroe County, residents saw tornadoes fly over the city of Brinkley, although none of the twisters touched down, Sheriff Gary Henard said.

"We dodged a bullet in this county," the sheriff said at 4:30 p.m. "Let's hope it's over."

One resident saw a tornado spin over the Brinkley Convention Center.

"It was mighty dark, and it was swirling pretty fast, but it never came down," said Patsy Arnett, executive director of the Brinkley Convention Center.

Late Friday, Gov. Mike Beebe declared seven counties disaster areas, with the expectation that more will be added to the list.Beebe expects to tour damage areas today and again on Monday.

Nearly 40 National Guard troops were deployed as additional security at the request of Greers Ferry and Damascus, Beebe said. Other soldiers, not full units, are on alert at Camp Robinson in North Little Rockand in Jonesboro.

R. David Paulison, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, called Arkansas Department of Emergency Management to offer assistance. The governor said he heard Emergency Management Director David Maxwell tell Paulison, "We're sure getting tired of all this."

Asked whether the storm was stretching the state's resources too thin, Beebe said, "The storms do stretch our resources but not just our resources but also our personnel. You can see the bags under the eyes of the people who are consistently over and over again called on to respond. ... We'll respond to the needs of our people."

Information for this article was contributed by John Krupa, Amy Upshaw, Jacob Quinn Sanders, Ginny LaRoe, Ken Heard, Mike Linn and Jim Brooks of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.