MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Ark. — The cleanup continues in parts of Arkansas hard hit by this weekend’s storm.
In the Mississippi County town of Joiner, two people were injured when their mobile home was flipped by high winds. There were widespread power outages and some flooding, but residents said things could have been much worse.
Since Saturday morning, Joiner Mayor Sissie Winford-Ross has been adding up the damage.
It’s believed straight-line winds caused the destruction — winds Ray Hamblin described as ferocious.
“I bet it was over 90-100 mile an hour winds here,” Hamblin said.
The storm was so powerful it flipped a mobile home onto its roof, trapping two people inside.
“It came right out of the north, and it was a mighty storm,” former mayor Kevin Love said.
Love lives down the street and said he knows the people who live in the mobile home.
“They was in the bathtub, actually, when it flipped over, and they fell out of the tub,” Love said. “They were able to crawl out of the house, and they just had scratches and bruises.”
Entergy crews were still working to restore power to the area Tuesday.
Mississippi County judge John Nelson sent workers with heavy machinery to assist the community with the cleanup.
So far, 10 to 12 families have been impacted, but that number could increase.
For now, everyone is thankful there were no serious injuries, and the focus is helping those who lost everything.
“We all come together as one, and everyone was out helping everyone,” Mayor Winford-Ross said. “Anytime there’s a disaster like this, small towns tend to gather together and help one another.”
Arkansas storm victims should contact the American Red Cross in Blytheville if they have questions or need help.