People in different parts of the United States thronged the social media to share striking images and videos of massive tornadoes that ripped through their respective areas on Friday, reportedly killing four and injuring scores of residents that came in the way of this force majeure.
The storm brought on severe tornadoes, and multiple tornado watches and tornado warnings were announced in several regions. The storm also brought hail and rain, which were also recorded on people's phones and posted to social media.
The tornado injured dozens and killed at least four people in Arkansas and Illinois.
Several videos on Twitter show how severe the tornado was. The News could not verify the authenticity of all the videos posted.
Aerial view of the severe weather disaster showed the damage it caused.
The Arkansas tornado struck during the afternoon, steamrolling over parts of Little Rock.
"This was actually an incredibly devastating tornado," one witness Lara Farrar told AFP.
She said she drove to West Little Rock and got out of her car at a blocked intersection.
"I was basically in total shock because the neighbourhood had been basically completely wiped out and destroyed," Farrar said.
"Some of the buildings had the roof completely blown off."
She said the path of the tornado was about a quarter mile wide (half a kilometre), leaving intense destruction, but outside the direct path, damage was "very minor."
Scott, the Little Rock mayor, tweeted that "property damage is extensive and we are still responding."
Authorities in Pulaski County surrounding the state capital said it suffered "significant storm and tornado damage."
More than 78,000 people were without power across the state, according to Poweroutage.us.
The governor's office could not immediately confirm any casualties to AFP, but a local hospital told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper that it had already begun to receive patients, including "a few" in critical condition.
The spokesperson for the Baptist Health hospital said it was preparing to treat injuries, the newspaper reported.
The University of Arkansas hospital was also on standby, a spokesperson there told AFP.
"We haven't seen people come in quite yet but we know that emergency services have had trouble reaching people because of downed trees," the spokesperson said.
"We expect people to come throughout the night."
Tornadoes are common in the United States, especially in the centre and south of the country.
A week ago, a tornado swept through the southern state of Mississippi, killing 25 people and causing extensive property damage.
President Joe Biden visited the city of Rolling Fork on Friday, one of the worst-hit areas in Mississippi.
In December 2021, about 80 people were killed by tornadoes in Kentucky.
The thumbnail image shows screengrab via Twitter account of veteran storm chaser Brandon Copic.
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