March 30 (UPI) — A tornado hit Springdale, Ark., Wednesday, damaging a school and injuring seven people as severe weather struck portions of four southern U.S. states.
The National Weather Service issued tornado watches for parts of Arkansas, northern Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma and east Texas.
The weather service said a strong spring storm was bringing risk for strong tornadoes and hurricane force winds from the lower Mississippi Valley up into parts of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys later today into tonight.
The greatest threats are tornadoes and damaging wind gusts.
Seven people were hurt, including two critically, in the tornado that hit Springdale, Ark., early Wednesday.
The Springdale School District Facebook page posted a call for donations to several families without power.
The tornado that touched down in Springdale was likely an EF-2.
The National Weather Service tweeted, “Our survey team found damage in the EF-2 category within the Johnson-Springdale damage path.”
ABC 40 29 News said significant damage was done to George Elementary School and the Nilfisk warehouse in Springdale.
