Monstrous tornado rips across Arkansas as heartland endures ‘particularly dangerous situation’

A tornado outbreak on Wednesday impacted the Mississippi River Valley, with tornadoes that damaged or destroyed dozens of homes, from Missouri through Arkansas and Tennessee.

A massive was spotted by FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic as it roared near Lake City, Arkansas. Authorities issued a Tornado Emergency – the most dire of tornado alerts – for towns in the path of the storm, such as Leachville and Monette.

“You need to be underground,” Copic said. “You will not survive this if you are above ground.”

tornado rips

And that is just what residents likely did, as local authorities reported fewer than a dozen injured despite significant damage to homes and some businesses in Arkansas. 

In Potosi, Missouri, firefighters reported responding to several homes that were damaged and people who were trapped, but after clearing the residences, troopers said they had accounted for all local residents.

Significant damage was also reported in Western Kentucky, where at least four people were injured in Ballard County.

The county declared a local state of emergency and said it was difficult for first responders to reach some communities.

A child was reported to be injured by flying debris near the community of Gage, Kentucky, as their family tried finding shelter from a severe storm.

Firefighters did not immediately say how many people were unaccounted for in the collapse.

Earlier during the day, the fire department in Nevada, Missouri, confirmed to FOX Weather that a suspected tornado hit the city.

Video from residents showed buildings badly damaged, with roofs ripped off and debris littering local streets.