Tornadoes spawned by a massive storm injure dozens and kill four people in Arkansas and Illinois

On Friday, a massive storm system ripped through the South and Midwest, spawning deadly tornadoes that shredded homes and shopping centers in Arkansas and collapsed the roof of a theater during a heavy metal concert in Illinois.

Authorities said at least one person was killed and more than two dozen were injured, some critically, in the Little Rock area. Wynne, in northeastern Arkansas, was also devastated, with officials reporting two deaths, as well as destroyed homes and people trapped in the debris.

According to authorities, a theater roof collapsed during a tornado in Belvidere, Illinois, killing one person and injuring 28, five of whom were critically injured. The collapse occurred as a heavy storm rolled through the area, according to the Belvidere Police Department, and calls began coming in from the theater at 7:48 p.m. The initial assessment was that the damage was caused by a tornado.

The collapse occurred during a heavy metal concert at the Apollo Theatre in the town about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of Chicago.

According to Belvidere Fire Department Chief Shawn Schadle, there were 260 people in attendance. He also stated that first responders had to rescue someone from an elevator and deal with downed power lines outside the theater.

Police Chief Shane Woody of Belvidere described the aftermath of the collapse as “chaos, absolute chaos.”

Gabrielle Lewellyn had just walked into the theater when the ceiling collapsed.

“I was there in less than a minute before it fell,” she told WTVO-TV. “The winds went from zero to a thousand in five seconds as I walked up to the building.”

According to Lewellyn, who was not injured, some people rushed to lift the collapsed portion of the ceiling and pull people out of the rubble.

“They dragged someone out of the rubble, and I sat with him, held his hand, and told him, ‘It’s going to be OK.’ I didn’t know what else to do.”

More confirmed twisters were reported in Iowa, and wind-whipped grass fires raged in Oklahoma, as the storm system threatened a large swath of the country home to 85 million people.

The severe weather occurred as President Joe Biden toured the aftermath of a deadly tornado that struck Mississippi one week ago, promising that the government would assist the area in its recovery.

The Little Rock tornado first ripped through western neighborhoods, destroying a small shopping center that housed a Kroger grocery store. It then crossed the Arkansas River into North Little Rock and the surrounding cities, causing extensive damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles.

In the evening, Pulaski County officials confirmed a fatality in North Little Rock but did not immediately provide details.

Officials at Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock told KATV in the afternoon that 21 people had checked in with tornado-related injuries, with five in critical condition.

Mayor Frank Scott Jr., who had announced that he was requesting National Guard assistance, tweeted in the evening that property damage was extensive and that “we are still responding.”

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders activated 100 Arkansas National Guard members to assist local authorities in responding to the damage across the state.

Niki Scott of Little Rock sought refuge in the bathroom after her husband called to warn her that a tornado was on its way. She could hear glass shattering as the tornado passed, and when she emerged, her house was one of the few on her street that hadn’t had a tree fall on it.

“It’s exactly what everyone says: it got really quiet, then it got really loud,” Scott said later, as chainsaws roared and sirens blared.

Passengers and workers at Clinton National Airport sought temporary refuge in restrooms.

“Praying for all those who have been and continue to be in the path of this storm,” Sanders, who declared a state of emergency, tweeted.

Sanders confirmed that widespread tornado damage occurred about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Memphis, Tennessee, in the small town of Wynne, Arkansas.

St. Francis County Coroner Miles J. Kimble told the Associated Press by phone Friday night that he was assisting the Cross County coroner in Wynne, where two people died in the tornado.

During a briefing with Little Rock officials Friday night, the governor stated that the number of deaths could rise.

According to City Councilmember Lisa Powell Carter, Wynne was without power and the roads were littered with debris.

“I’m in a panic trying to get home, but we can’t,” she explained. “Wynne is completely destroyed… There are houses destroyed and trees down on the streets.”

The relentless tornadoes spawned and touched down in the area late into the night.

The police department in Covington, Tennessee, announced on Facebook that the city was impassable after power lines and trees fell on roads during the storm on Friday evening. Authorities in Tipton County, north of Memphis, said a tornado appeared to have touched down near Covington’s middle school and other locations in the rural county.

According to Tipton County Sheriff Shannon Beasley, homes and structures were severely damaged.

Tornadoes caused sporadic damage in parts of eastern Iowa.

One tornado passed just west of Iowa City, which is home to the University of Iowa. KCRG-TV video showed downed power poles and roofs ripped off an apartment building in the Coralville suburb, as well as severely damaged homes in Hills.

According to poweroutage.us, which tracks outages, nearly 90,000 customers in Arkansas lost power.

Wind gusts of up to 60 mph (96 kph) fueled fast-moving grass fires in neighboring Oklahoma. People in far northeast Oklahoma City were urged to evacuate, and portions of Interstate 35 were closed.

In Illinois, hail broke windows on cars and buildings in the Roanoke area, northeast of Peoria, according to Ben Wagner, chief radar operator for the Woodford County Emergency Management Agency. As of Friday night, more than 109,000 customers in the state had lost power.

There were more power outages reported in Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Texas.

Several fires were fought near El Dorado, Kansas, and some residents were asked to evacuate, including approximately 250 elementary school children who were relocated to a high school.

A traffic management program was implemented at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, causing arriving planes to be delayed by nearly two hours on average, according to WFLD-TV.

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service had predicted an unusually large outbreak of thunderstorms with the potential for hail, damaging wind gusts, and strong tornadoes that could move for long distances over the ground.

As global temperatures rise, such “intense supercell thunderstorms” are expected to become more common, particularly in the South.

The weather service predicts another round of severe storms in the same general area as last week on Tuesday.