Monstrous tornado rips across Arkansas, State of Emergency declared as dangerous storms slam the heartland
The Storm Prediction Center received dozen of reports from severe weather on Wednesday as the devastating tornado outbreak and once-in-a-generation flooding event continues to slam millions of Americans.
Massive tornado spotted in Arkansas
Residents in the area must seek shelter immediately as multiple tornadoes are in progress.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A tornado outbreak on Wednesday impacted the Mississippi River Valley, with tornadoes injuring at least a dozen and damaging or destroying several homes from Missouri through Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.
A massive tornado was spotted by FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic as it roared near Lake City, Arkansas. Authorities issued a Tornado Emergency – the most dire of tornado alerts – for towns in the path of the storm, such as Leachville and Monette.
"You need to be underground," Copic said. "You will not survive this tornado if you are above ground."
And that is just what residents likely did, as local authorities reported fewer than a dozen injured despite significant damage to homes and some businesses in Arkansas.
WATCH: VIOLENT TORNADO CAUSES DAMAGE NEAR LAKE CITY, ARKANSAS
![Large and dangerous tornado crosses road right in front of FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic.]()
Image 1 of 7Large and dangerous tornado crosses road right in front of FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic. ( )
![Tornado on the ground in Caraway, Arkansas.]()
Image 2 of 7Tornado on the ground in Caraway, Arkansas. (BRANDON COPIC)
![Tornado on the ground in Arkansas. This is one of two twisters in progress.]()
Image 3 of 7Tornado on the ground in Arkansas. This is one of two twisters in progress. (Brandon Copic)
![A massive tornado captured by FOX Weather storm chaser Brandon Copic shows the severity of the twister.]()
Image 4 of 7A massive tornado captured by FOX Weather storm chaser Brandon Copic shows the severity of the twister. (Brandon Copic)
![The dark twister leaves damage and debris in it's path in Arkansas.]()
Image 5 of 7The dark twister leaves damage and debris in it's path in Arkansas. (Brandon Copic)
![As a tornado touches down in Arkansas, it brings along bright lightning flashes.]()
Image 6 of 7As a tornado touches down in Arkansas, it brings along bright lightning flashes. (Brandon Copic)
![A massive tornado rips across the landscape near Lake City, Arkansas, on April 2, 2025.]()
Image 7 of 7A massive tornado rips across the landscape near Lake City, Arkansas, on April 2, 2025. (Brandon Copic)
In Potosi, Missouri, firefighters reported responding to several homes that were damaged and people who were trapped, but after clearing the residences, troopers said they had accounted for all local residents.
Significant damage was also reported in Western Kentucky, where at least four people were injured in Ballard County.
The county declared a local state of emergency and said it was difficult for first responders to reach some communities.
A child was reported to be injured by flying debris near the community of Gage, Kentucky, as their family tried finding shelter from a severe storm.
And outside of Indianapolis, first responders were seen looking through debris of a warehouse in Brownsburg, Indiana.
Firefighters did not immediately say how many people were unaccounted for in the collapse.
CREWS SEARCH FOR STORM VICTIMS IN POTOSI, MISSOURI, AFTER TORNADO STRIKE
Tornado spotted in Potosi, Missouri, as residents watch the twister from a distance
A tornado plows through the city of Potosi. The city is under a flood watch that is in effect from Thursday morning to Saturday night.
Earlier during the day, the fire department in Nevada, Missouri, confirmed to FOX Weather that a suspected tornado hit the city.
Video from residents showed buildings badly damaged, with roofs ripped off and debris littering local streets.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike McClure told FOX Weather power lines were brought down inside the city of Nevada, and several businesses were damaged, including a hotel.
Devastating damage in Nevada, Missouri, after possible tornado
Video recorded by resident Ally Brown shows the destruction after a tornado-warned storm moved through Nevada, Missouri, on Wednesday, April 2. This video has no sound.
The governors of both Kentucky and Arkansas issued states of emergencies, as more than 300,000 customers lost power from the South to the Great Lakes.
The Storm Prediction Center labeled the event as a ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ with the event expected to be a Level 5 out of 5 on its severe storm scale.
The high risk designation marks only the second time this year, and the first instance of two such high-risk alerts in a single year since 2021, that a Level 5 threat has been issued. The previous Level 5 alert was issued on March 15 when the National Weather Service confirmed 13 tornadoes, including six powerful EF-3s, which tragically resulted in seven deaths and 12 injuries.
Severe storms persist through the weekend
Even as the main storm system begins to pull away on Thursday, daytime heating on Thursday afternoon will lead to another round of severe storms.
Damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes will again be possible during the afternoon and evening hours on Thursday. A Level 3 out of 5 risk encompasses a zone from east Texas, including Texarkana, to Tennessee, including Memphis. Meanwhile, a wider area faces a Level 2 out of 5 risk from central Texas to the Northeast.
(FOX Weather)
More severe weather is forecast through the end of the week and into the weekend, as well.
The numerous rounds of rain and storms will lead to the aforementioned potentially generational flooding in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
(FOX Weather)