Officials: 1 dead, 35 injured after tornadoes rip through Arkansas, destroy at least 3 homes

Officials: 1 dead, 35 hurt in Arkansas tornadoes

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

The death was reported in Van Buren County — about 75 miles north of Little Rock — where three mobile homes were destroyed, state Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Renee Preslar said.

At least 35 people were hurt during the storms, but the severity of their injuries and other details haven’t been released, she said.

Search teams located a person believed missing in the wreckage of a home in Center Ridge, while extensive property damage was reported across the region, Preslar said.

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 blocking major roadways in both areas.