Weather Service confirms 2 more tornadoes Thursday

By

Jefferson and Lonoke counties were struck by tornadoes in storms last week, the National Weather Service announced Monday.

In a news release, the agency said survey crews had found evidence that tornadoes had struck both counties on Thursday, in addition to four tornadoes further south confirmed over the weekend.

One tornado followed a 2.6 mile path south-southeast of Pine Bluff and stayed on the ground for 2.6 miles, the weather service said. It was rated as an EF-1 on the 0-5 enhanced Fujita scale, with winds up to 110 mph.

The weather service said the twister blew out glass doors at a discount store and tore off some of the store’s facade, flipped two cars in the parking lot, overturned an 18-wheeler, damaged the roofs of two fast-food restaurants and several houses, blew a steeple off a church, downed trees, and destroyed a shed and a carport.

In Lonoke County, a tornado touched down south-southeast of Scott and stayed on the ground for three miles, the weather service said. That twister was rated as and EF-0, with winds up to 85 mph and caused mostly tree damage.

Members of the state’s congressional delegation said they had written Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack supporting Gov. Mike Beebe’s request that 36 Arkansas counties be declared disaster areas after months of record rain and extensive flooding.

Thursday’s storms were blamed for the deaths of three people whose cars were submerged by rising waters, in Pulaski, Independence and Mississippi counties. In addition, two people died in northwest Arkansas in traffic accidents during torrential rains.

Make a comment on this story.