These pictures were found in the local area of Vilonia, Bastesville, Searcy, Heber Springs, Tuckerman, Hoxie, Imboden, Pocahontas, Marked Tree, and Truman, Arkansas after the April 27, 2014 tornado. Some pictures were also found in Poughkeepsie, East Prairie, Sikeston, and Charlston, Missouri.
This EF4 tornado was 1 of 84 tornados in a 3 day storm system. There were 35 casualties and 332 injuries. The tornadoes went through Quapaw, Oklahoma; Central Arkansas; Louisville, Mississippi; and Lincoln- Moore County, Tennessee. There was also major flooding in North East Arkansas and Southern Missouri and in Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. There was also major flooding in the Mid-Atlantic states.
Vilonia-Mayflower Tornado
This tornado started in Pulaski County, 6 miles East of Paron and traveled North-North East. Within a minute, it dramatically intensified to an EF3 and struck a small residential area. Two homes were destroyed and another was damaged. Three people were killed in this area. It weakened as it turned Northeasterly and moved to a forested area. The damage was rated an EF1. It soon struck North Point at 7:14 pm as an EF2 causing severe damage. After crossing Lake Maumelle, it caused significant tree damage to Roland and Natural Steps with some trees being debarked and stripped of their foliage. The tornado intensified while moving through an unpopulated area before crossing the Arkansas River and entering Faulkner County around 7:26pm. It immediately struck the River Plantation subdivision just South West of Mayflower. The EF4 damage took place with large two-story homes being leveled with only debris left on their foundations. Multiple homes were severely damaged or destroyed. On the North East side of the subdivision, one person was killed after debris struck the storm door, opening it, and exposing her to the tornado. Near where this fatality took place, concrete road barriers were blown over and moved, indicating an EF4. Outside the subdivision, a power substation sustained major damage. Continuing North East, the storm tore across the South edge of Mayflower and crossed Arkansas Highway 365, tossing semis, cars, and road equipment from the highway. A business district in this area experienced mainly EF3 damage, with 18-wheelers tossed, industrial buildings damaged or destroyed, and some nearby homes heavily damaged. An recreational vehicle dealership was completely destroyed at EF4 ratings, along with most of the RV's. A vehicle repair shop, millwork company, construction company, and church in South Mayflower were also destroyed as well as a home improvement store being badly damaged. Two people were killed in Mayflower. The tornado then crossed Lake Conway, downing trees and causing EF2 and EF3 damage to lakeshore homes. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lost a clubhouse, shop, horse barn, shower house, and several dog kennels and eventually removed 627 tons of debris from the lake. It then caused EF2 damage as it struck parts of the Saltillo area. Numerous homes, mobile homes, sheds, barns, trees, and a church were damaged or destroyed. Two homes in Saltillo area had only interior walls lift, with damage rated EF3. As it traveled North East, it dramatically intensified as it approached the Vilonia Bypass, reaching EF4 for a second time. South West of the bypass, poorly anchored homes were obliterated and swept from their foundations and cars were tossed hundreds of yards away. Another frame house was left with only interior walls standing and two mobile homes were completely destroyed with the frames thrown up to two streets away.
Shortly before 7:50pm, the storm moved into the Vilonia area, which had been struck three years and two days prior by an EF2 tornado that killed 4 people on April 25, 2011. The 2014 tornado first struck the Vilonia Intermediate School at EF3, with winds estimated as high as 190 miles per hour and circulation spanning 3/4 miles, destroying the top floor and causing most walls to collapse. The tornado then moved as a high-end EF4 through the town center, destroying numerous homes and businesses with only piles of debris or bare slabs left behind. It then moved downtown to Parkwood Meadows Subdivision at the North East side of town. Entire rows of homes were reduced to bare slabs.
After killing nine people in the town, the tornado then continued past Vilonia, weakening to an EF3 as it passed Williams Lake. A large metal building and a mobile home were destroyed and a few other structures were damaged as the storm weakened further to EF1. Shortly after 8:00pm, the storm moved through densely forested areas and into White County, just passed El Paso. It regained EF2 status and destroyed two manufactured homes. One person was killed at this location. It soon dissipated at 8:06pm, roughly one mile North-North East of El Paso.
The tornado traveled a total of 41.3 miles in an hour’s time. A total of 16 people lost their lives, making it the deadliest tornado in Arkansas since an EF4 killed 35 on May 15, 1968. Two days after the tornado, on April 29, 2014, Faulkner County was declared a federal disaster area by President Barack Obama. This allowed residents to receive federal aid and low-cost loans to cover uninsured losses.
This storm system lasted three days, April 27-30, 2014, and spawned 84 tornadoes, with the highest winds reaching 190 miles per hour in Vilonia, Arkansas. It caused 35 casualties and property damages totaling well over $1 billion.
This EF4 tornado was 1 of 84 tornados in a 3 day storm system. There were 35 casualties and 332 injuries. The tornadoes went through Quapaw, Oklahoma; Central Arkansas; Louisville, Mississippi; and Lincoln- Moore County, Tennessee. There was also major flooding in North East Arkansas and Southern Missouri and in Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. There was also major flooding in the Mid-Atlantic states.
Vilonia-Mayflower Tornado
This tornado started in Pulaski County, 6 miles East of Paron and traveled North-North East. Within a minute, it dramatically intensified to an EF3 and struck a small residential area. Two homes were destroyed and another was damaged. Three people were killed in this area. It weakened as it turned Northeasterly and moved to a forested area. The damage was rated an EF1. It soon struck North Point at 7:14 pm as an EF2 causing severe damage. After crossing Lake Maumelle, it caused significant tree damage to Roland and Natural Steps with some trees being debarked and stripped of their foliage. The tornado intensified while moving through an unpopulated area before crossing the Arkansas River and entering Faulkner County around 7:26pm. It immediately struck the River Plantation subdivision just South West of Mayflower. The EF4 damage took place with large two-story homes being leveled with only debris left on their foundations. Multiple homes were severely damaged or destroyed. On the North East side of the subdivision, one person was killed after debris struck the storm door, opening it, and exposing her to the tornado. Near where this fatality took place, concrete road barriers were blown over and moved, indicating an EF4. Outside the subdivision, a power substation sustained major damage. Continuing North East, the storm tore across the South edge of Mayflower and crossed Arkansas Highway 365, tossing semis, cars, and road equipment from the highway. A business district in this area experienced mainly EF3 damage, with 18-wheelers tossed, industrial buildings damaged or destroyed, and some nearby homes heavily damaged. An recreational vehicle dealership was completely destroyed at EF4 ratings, along with most of the RV's. A vehicle repair shop, millwork company, construction company, and church in South Mayflower were also destroyed as well as a home improvement store being badly damaged. Two people were killed in Mayflower. The tornado then crossed Lake Conway, downing trees and causing EF2 and EF3 damage to lakeshore homes. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lost a clubhouse, shop, horse barn, shower house, and several dog kennels and eventually removed 627 tons of debris from the lake. It then caused EF2 damage as it struck parts of the Saltillo area. Numerous homes, mobile homes, sheds, barns, trees, and a church were damaged or destroyed. Two homes in Saltillo area had only interior walls lift, with damage rated EF3. As it traveled North East, it dramatically intensified as it approached the Vilonia Bypass, reaching EF4 for a second time. South West of the bypass, poorly anchored homes were obliterated and swept from their foundations and cars were tossed hundreds of yards away. Another frame house was left with only interior walls standing and two mobile homes were completely destroyed with the frames thrown up to two streets away.
Shortly before 7:50pm, the storm moved into the Vilonia area, which had been struck three years and two days prior by an EF2 tornado that killed 4 people on April 25, 2011. The 2014 tornado first struck the Vilonia Intermediate School at EF3, with winds estimated as high as 190 miles per hour and circulation spanning 3/4 miles, destroying the top floor and causing most walls to collapse. The tornado then moved as a high-end EF4 through the town center, destroying numerous homes and businesses with only piles of debris or bare slabs left behind. It then moved downtown to Parkwood Meadows Subdivision at the North East side of town. Entire rows of homes were reduced to bare slabs.
After killing nine people in the town, the tornado then continued past Vilonia, weakening to an EF3 as it passed Williams Lake. A large metal building and a mobile home were destroyed and a few other structures were damaged as the storm weakened further to EF1. Shortly after 8:00pm, the storm moved through densely forested areas and into White County, just passed El Paso. It regained EF2 status and destroyed two manufactured homes. One person was killed at this location. It soon dissipated at 8:06pm, roughly one mile North-North East of El Paso.
The tornado traveled a total of 41.3 miles in an hour’s time. A total of 16 people lost their lives, making it the deadliest tornado in Arkansas since an EF4 killed 35 on May 15, 1968. Two days after the tornado, on April 29, 2014, Faulkner County was declared a federal disaster area by President Barack Obama. This allowed residents to receive federal aid and low-cost loans to cover uninsured losses.
This storm system lasted three days, April 27-30, 2014, and spawned 84 tornadoes, with the highest winds reaching 190 miles per hour in Vilonia, Arkansas. It caused 35 casualties and property damages totaling well over $1 billion.