Feature photo: Some of the storm damage in Paragould, Arkansas. Courtesy of Chris Robinson.
A storm system that has affected several states swept through Arkansas Friday, causing damage and prompting Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to release emergency disaster funds. A total of $250,000 will be directed from the Governor’s Disaster Response and Recovery Fund.
The storm was part of a large low-pressure system that rolled across the central U.S., with 10 fatalities reported in Missouri.
Eastern Arkansas was especially affected by the storm, which included hail, high winds and the threat of tornadoes. Three fatalities in Independence County were confirmed by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and 29 people across eight counties were reported injured. Sixteen total counties reported damage to ADEM. All told, those damaged counties are: Baxter, Clark, Fulton, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Nevada, Phillips, Randolph, Sharp, Stone, and Woodruff. The National Weather Service is investigating several areas within the state for possible tornado tracks.
Among those municipalities dealing with damage is Cave City, where Mayor Jonas Anderson declared a state of emergency following damage to businesses and residences from high winds.
Attorney General Tim Griffin posted the following on Facebook:
Please join me in praying for the residents of Cave City, Paragould, and other northeast Arkansas communities that were hit by last night’s storm system. Emergency crews are still hard at work insuring that everyone is safe, clearing roads, and trying to restore power. The cleanup process will take time, but I know that Arkansans will step up to help our neighbors the way we always do in times of crisis.”
As of 1:15 p.m. Saturday, March 15, Entergy was still reporting several outages across Arkansas.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders will receive a briefing from local officials and tour storm damage in Cave City Saturday afternoon.
The National Weather Service in Little Rock posted the following on X:
***Update** The tornado survey team has found damage in Cave City consistent with winds of 165 mph. This is the very top of the EF3 scale. #arwx
— NWS Little Rock (@NWSLittleRock) March 15, 2025
READ ALSO: Here to Stay — 20+ Years — Saluting Longstanding Businesses
