At least six people were killed and dozens injured when suspected tornadoes struck areas north of Dallas, Texas, and northwest Arkansas between Saturday night and Sunday morning, police officials said.
Cook County, Texas, Sheriff Ray Sappington told Dallas-Fort Worth ABC affiliate WFAA that children were among the dead and that at least two children were still missing.
The sheriff said the storm struck a roadside travel center near Valley View, Texas, before moving through a community of manufactured homes.
Sappington had earlier said at least two deaths had occurred, but said “that number will likely rise.”
More than 60 people were injured, he said.
Sappington said he feared more bad news would come around sunrise on Sunday as search and rescue teams continued to look for survivors and authorities canvassed the damage left behind.
“You’re just going to think about daylight and what you can actually find,” Sappington said, “and I don’t think it’s going to be good.”
Most of the deaths occurred in FRF Estates near Valley View, a community of manufactured homes about 60 miles northwest of Dallas, Sappington said. He said emergency response teams were searching the development for survivors Sunday morning after “significant damage” was reported.
Another hard-hit area was the Gateway AP Travel Center in Valley View, where many people pulled over to the side of the road and sought refuge in parking lots and truck stop restrooms. Sappington said between 60 and 80 people were injured at the facility.
“The storm caused extensive damage to numerous homes and businesses, including the Gateway AP Travel Center, which sustained significant damage,” the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday morning. “First responders are working hard to search the rubble for missing individuals, and there are also numerous reports of injuries of various severity.”
Further details will be released as they become available and residents are encouraged to monitor local news and official channels for the latest updates.
“Right now we would really appreciate it if people would just leave the scene and give us a few hours to help with the search and rescue efforts,” Sappington said. “I know some people are out there and are trying to get back, but it’s dangerous out there. There are downed power lines. There are reports of gas leaks. It’s just dangerous right now. Please give us a little bit of time to do what we need to do. We’re still working on the rescue. The best thing people can do right now is give us a little bit of time.”
Meanwhile, in Bella Vista, Texas, a landslide closed Interstate 340 in both directions, Bella Vista Police said. Police said the highway was closed because heavy rain had washed away the ground underneath the road, creating a “deteriorating road surface.”
One person killed in Arkansas, officials say
Authorities in Arkansas said at least one person was killed when a suspected tornado struck Benton County in the northwestern part of the state early Sunday morning.
In addition to the person killed, several people were injured in Benton County, Benton County Judge Barry Moehring said at a news conference.
At least one tornado struck the town of Decatur in Benton County, and two others appeared to have touched down near Beaver Lake, Moehring said.
Moehring said the storm downed numerous trees and power lines, and strong straight-line winds also caused extensive damage in Bentonville, destroying part of the courthouse.
He said emergency crews were responding to reports of people trapped in the rubble.
Police in Rogers, Arkansas, also in Benton County, posted photos on Facebook on Sunday showing widespread damage in downtown Rogers. The Rogers Police Department said emergency teams were searching for survivors and assessing the damage.
“All major roads are treed or closed and we are still responding to calls. Having too many vehicles on the road hinders our response efforts,” the Rogers Police Department said in a Facebook post, urging people not to drive around the barricades.
The threat for more severe weather on Sunday will move east over parts of the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys, where multiple strong storms are possible.
Powerful storms are expected to batter a wide swath of the Great Plains Sunday night before moving into Iowa, where officials say residents are still recovering from a series of deadly hurricanes that struck near Des Moines Tuesday night, destroying half the town of Greenfield and killing four people.
Forecasters said the most severe storms will be in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, northern Tennessee and southwestern corner of Ohio, increasing the risk of damaging winds, hail and tornadoes.
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