Tornadoes Roar Through Northwest Arkansas

 

by Pa Rock

The midwest has been pummeled by tornadoes for the past several weeks, so many, in fact, that some are attributing the alarming rise in severe storm and tornado activity to the effects of climate change.  South central Missouri, the area where I live, was under a "tornado watch" much of last night, and we did have a really loud, banging storm around daylight, but thankfully there were no "twisters."

Northwest Arkansas, however, was not nearly as fortunate as we were in this part of Missouri.   Several tornadoes apparently touched down during the pre-dawn hours in the sprawling urban setting that is home to Walmart, Tyson Foods, and Jones Truck Lines.   Early reports indicate that at least one person has been killed - a 26-year-old woman who was found outside of her destroyed home - and several injured.  Search and rescue efforts appear to be continuing throughout the morning.

I spoke with my sister, Abigail, by phone this morning.  She lives in Rogers in an area that received extensive damage.  My sister lives in an apartment complex for seniors and said that she spent the night sitting in a chair in her bathroom along with a pillow, transistor radio, and a flashlight.  (Her apartment complex does not allow candles - probably a good policy!)  She said that she "felt" the tornado as it passed. 

Abigail said that today they have no power (and news reports indicate power is out for most of the area), roads are blocked with debris and tree limbs, and most people, including her, are staying indoors because of all of the power lines that are down.  She also said that there are natural gas leaks in her son's neighborhood a few blocks away.   She told me that there was some damage to parts of her apartment complex, but that her unit appears to be fine.  The residents park outdoors in a common lot, and she said all of their cars also appear to not have suffered any damage.

(I saw one news article on the internet which said that a state road in Bella Vista had been closed due to a landslide, an uncommon occurrence in the midwest.)

Abigail's son, Reed, who lives close to his mother, is a teacher and coach in the local school system, and his wife, Jamie, is also a teacher in Rogers.  They have a nice home in a well established neighborhood, and my sister said their neighborhood was "devastated" with homes destroyed, trees down, and the smell of natural gas in the air.  She said that Reed and Jamie's house appears to have not suffered any major damage, but that Jamie did lose her car windshield.

Reed telephoned me yesterday evening before the terrible weather hit.  We talked about the trip that he and Jamie made to Scotland last year where he lifted the famous Dinnie Stones - and his new goal to lift more than Arnold Schwarzenegger's personal best, the ups and downs of teaching school (something we have in common), and the fact that school was getting ready to close for the summer.  

Schools in northwest Arkansas may have let out for the summer last Friday, and they just didn't know it!

Rogers, Bentonville, Decatur, Bella Vista, and all of the places that were impacted by the storms, we are thinking of you today.  Be careful and stay safe!