At least seven individuals were killed by tornadoes that hit Arkansas and Illinois. The aftermath of the disaster saw first responders sifting through debris in search of possible additional victims. On Saturday, a powerful tornado tore through the affected areas, causing significant damage to buildings, vehicles, trees, and power lines. The severe spring weather also brought thunderstorms and tornadoes to several states in the US, from Texas to the Great Lakes, causing three fatalities in Sullivan County, Indiana. Meanwhile, in northern Illinois, one person died, and 28 others were injured when a theatre’s roof was torn off during a heavy metal concert.
According to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, two individuals in Wynne, Arkansas, located approximately 100 miles (160km) east of Little Rock, lost their lives. While over 30 people were transported to hospitals in the Little Rock area, as of Friday night, none had died, as stated by Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr, although the exact number remained uncertain. Scott emphasized at a news conference that it was only by divine intervention that there had not been any deaths until then. One of the regions significantly affected was a portion of western Little Rock, which has a population of 2,100, according to Assistant Police Chief Andre Dyer. Meanwhile, in Belvidere, Illinois, a town near the Wisconsin border, one person died, and 28 others were taken to nearby hospitals by ambulance, including five individuals with severe injuries, according to Fire Chief Shawn Schadle.
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Fire Chief Shawn Schadle reported that approximately 260 individuals attended the Morbid Angel concert as part of their Tour of Terror at Belvidere’s Apollo Theater. Gabrielle Lewellyn, a concertgoer, told WTVO television that people sought shelter in the basement after the roof collapsed. Lewellyn, who was unharmed, said that some people rushed to lift the part of the ceiling that had caved in and rescue others from the rubble.
I’m absolutely devastated. My hometown Wynne, Arkansas was just completely destroyed.
— Derek Utley (@realDerekUtley) April 1, 2023
Schools demolished, businesses destroyed, churches, homes destroyed
Thank you @SarahHuckabee for your leadership during this horrible time.
I’ll do anything I can to help with recovery. pic.twitter.com/vM1WPRnOaM
President Joe Biden was visiting Mississippi to assess the aftermath of a severe storm that struck the state the previous week. The swarm of thunderstorms generated a fatal tornado that devastated Rolling Fork, Mississippi, destroying a significant number of the town’s 400 homes and claiming the lives of 25 people. One person died in neighboring Alabama. Biden pledged to reconstruct the affected areas in Mississippi, while meteorologists cautioned millions of residents in at least 15 Midwest and southern US states to prepare for massive storms.
