Officials: 3 dead, 25 injured after tornadoes rip through Arkansas, destroy at least 3 homes

Officials: 3 dead, 25 hurt in Arkansas tornadoes

CLINTON, Ark. — Tornadoes ripping through central Arkansas on Friday killed at least three people, injured 25 others and destroyed several homes, authorities said.

The deaths were reported in Van Buren County — about 75 miles north of Little Rock — where three mobile homes were destroyed, according to state Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Renee Preslar. Further details weren’t immediately released.

Teams also were looking for people in a damaged home in nearby Center Ridge, Preslar said.

“There are people possibly trapped there,” she said. “Search and rescue is going in for a possible missing person.”

Tornado sightings were reported just a few miles north in Culpepper, according to Arkansas State Police. A sheriff’s dispatcher said a sighting also was reported in the Oakland area, near the Missouri border.

Trees and power lines were down along interstates in both areas.