雅虎香港電視

Crews conducted cleanup and damage assessment in Garland County, central Arkansas, on Friday, March 15, after an EF-2 tornado hit the region on Thursday night, local authorities said.

According to the National Weather Service, peak winds of the tornado reached up to 115 mph and it had a pathway of 8.5 miles, crossing into Saline County.

Images posted to Facebook by the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) show downed trees and other storm debris in Hot Springs Village on Friday.

“The tornado caused significant damage in the community, uprooting hundreds of trees, snapping utility poles, and damaging numerous homes. ADEM is working closely with local agencies to coordinate responses and assist them in evaluating the damage to homes affected by the tornado,” ADEM wrote in the post.

By late Friday afternoon, around 4,000 homes in the area were without power, local media reported, citing authorities. Credit: Arkansas Division of Emergency Management via Storyful