Damage from overnight storms in Desha. (All images provided by Independence County Judge Kevin Jeffery)
Stone County officials and utility crews are assessing widespread property damage Tuesday morning after a radar-confirmed tornado touched down Monday night.
The National Weather Service in North Little Rock told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette the storm likely struck just south of Mountain View around 10:30 p.m. While the storm caused significant destruction to homes and vehicles, Sheriff Brandon Long reported no injuries or fatalities.
Heavy damage is concentrated in the Dodd Mountain, Luber, Pleasant Grove, and Hanover areas. The tornado reportedly tracked from east of Arkansas Highway 9 toward Arkansas Highway 5 before moving into Independence County.
Stone County Emergency Management Coordinator Glen Crymes said most damage involved fallen trees and downed power lines. At the height of the storm, approximately 1,200 Entergy customers lost electricity after a tree fell on power lines. As of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, more than 280 residents remained without power.
“It was mostly near small communities and houses,” Crymes told the Democrat-Gazette. “There were no governmental infrastructures in the county hit.”
Crymes noted on Facebook overnight that crews had begun clearing debris from roads, including Misenheimer Road and areas near Sunny Fox. While most roads are open for emergency travel, motorists are urged to use caution.
The Red Cross is expected to arrive in the county on Tuesday to assist residents. A National Weather Service survey team is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday to officially confirm the tornado’s strength.
No injuries were reported in neighboring Independence County, where Judge Kevin Jeffery said some damage was reported near Desha.
The storm dropped significant rainfall, with Mountain View receiving approximately 1.85 inches overnight — the heaviest totals in the area, tapering off to the east and south toward Newport. The county remains under a severe thunderstorm watch through 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The severe weather comes as the region remains mired in extreme-to-exceptional drought conditions, according to Drought.gov.
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