MEMPHIS, Tenn. – 4 people are dead and dozens are injured following the tornado that hit Wynne, Arkansas Friday night.
The storm left behind a trail of destruction, destroying multiple homes and businesses within the Mid-South area.
Resident Heidi Jenkin’s beauty salon of 20 years and neighboring family-owned daycare were demolished on Falls Boulevard.
“Everything’s gone, everything’s gone,” Jenkins said. “It’s overwhelming for me and the community. This is the heart of our community and it’s a lot that’s missing now and I feel for all the families that are without a home.”
Among the worst of the damage is Wynne High School. The storm ripped the roof off the building, blew out the windows and, crumbled classrooms were filled with debris.
Pastor Matt Carter of Wynne First United Methodist Church says the church was also destroyed.
“It blew the steeple off in the front porch of the church all our columns are missing, and we don’t know where they are, but it looks like all of our buildings are a total loss,” Pastor Carter said.
The cleanup is now underway as first responders and volunteers from far and near help rebuild the city.
“I think what we’re seeing here with neighbors stepping up and helping one another it just shows how big God is and how God can show up even in the midst of devastating storms,” Paster Carter said.
“When you live in a town and the town is in trouble you help the town, that’s what we do,” volunteer McDaniel said.
Cleanup efforts could take weeks, if not months or years for residents in Wynne to recover from the severe storm aftermath.
WREG and The Salvation Army of the Midsouth are joining forces to provide relief for the victims affected by the tornado.
The Wynne School District posted the following on their website: During this catastrophe, our prayers and thoughts are with our students, parents, staff, and our community. Due to the amount of devastation, Wynne Public Schools will be closed Monday, April 3rd- Friday, April 7th. Any closing/reopening decisions past this date will be determined during the week. Lunch and dinner will be served at Wynne Junior High cafeteria (Lunch 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Dinner 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.). For everyone’s safety, please remain off ALL campuses with the exception of lunch and dinner. In times such as this, we are confident that Yellowjackets will not only survive but thrive!
