Arkansas National Guard mobilized for storm relief
What to do and what to know about severe weather alert system
By the Times News Staff
news@theeveningtimes.com
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders mobilized to state active duty 70 Arkansas National Guardsmen to staff 13 severe weather response teams to assist local authorities in Sharp and Jackson counties with traffic control and security operations.
Teams began assisting local authorities on highways and intersections in the areas affected by Friday night’s severe weather.
Each team consists of five Guardsmen, two Humvees, plus communications equipment. Teams assist in controlling access to areas to enable first responders to conduct emergency response operations.
The 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team provided six teams to Cave City.
The 87th Troop Command provided two teams to Cave City and another five teams to Jackson county.
Additionally, 10 Guardsmen were ordered to provide command and control and liaison duties. Six of the 10 were to help staff the Joint Operations Center around the clock. The remaining Guardsmen provided support to command and control to their respective tasked units.
The Arkansas National Guard assumes support roles to augment civil authorities, where needed and directed by the Governor, to help in a crisis.
The National Weather Service reported that a tornado moved through Cave City around 10:35 p.m. Friday. Soon after, city officials there issued a state of emergency involving the storm.
The National Weather Service said Saturday afternoon that the tornado that went through Cave City was an estimated EF-3, with peak winds of 165 mph.
The National Weather Service office in Little Rock said Sunday afternoon that damage consistent with a tornado was found in the Diaz area in Jackson County.
“Our storm survey team has found damage consistent with EF-4 tornado damage near Diaz (Jackson County) with estimated peak winds of 190 mph. Additional information will be provided as surveys continue in the coming days,” the NWS office in Little Rock said on social media.
The Jackson County Office of Emergency Management also said Saturday evening that the county had 25 homes with major damage and 17 homes with minor damage due to the weather. Another 28 homes
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were destroyed, along with two churches and two fire departments.
At least seven people were injured, including three critically, in Jackson County due to the severe weather.
Officials also set up a command center at the Diaz City Hall. People can drop off supplies or get help from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., officials said.
Gov. Sanders issued a state of emergency in the state to allow for heavy equipment and emergency response vehicles to be brought in to help people impacted. Sanders, who also toured the Cave City and Paragould areas Saturday afternoon, said teams had been sent out to survey damage from the storms and first responders were on the ground to assist people in need. The governor also announced that she had released $250,000 from the state’s Disaster Recovery Fund to help provide resources for communities impacted by the storm.
Other federal and state officials said they are also working to help people impacted.
Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Jonesboro) said that his thoughts and prayers were with the people impacted by the storms.
“Praying for all those impacted by last night’s dangerous tornadoes in Northeast AR and those lives tragically lost. My team is in close contact with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and is closely monitoring developments on the ground,” Crawford said on social media. “I plan to visit the affected areas over the next week to allow for emergency response efforts to get underway. If you need any assistance in the aftermath of last night’s severe weather, please reach out to my office.”
Arkansas House Speaker Brian Evans (R-Cabot) said officials are also working to help people in the Cave City area.
“The people of Cave City are facing unimaginable challenges right now. I’ve been in communication with Rep.
Bart Schulz to ensure his district has the resources they need to begin recovery. I ask all Arkansans to join me in praying for those impacted by last night’s storms,” Evans said.
In addition to the tornado in Cave City, there were reports of tornadoes in Franklin around 10 p.m., in the Calamine community around 10:55 p.m. and west of Black Rock around 11 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Officials said a roof was blown off a house near Black Rock. Also, an ARDOT camera appeared to have caught an image of a tornado moving through Campbell Station around 11:30 p.m., just off I57/US 67. The National Weather Service said that radar indicated there was a debris signature in the area.
In addition to the tornadoes, there were also reports of hail. Black Rock received pingpong sized hail late Friday night, while Weiner and an area southwest of Jonesboro had reports of one inch hail, the National Weather Service said.
