wfn.org | January tornadoes rip through Arkansas, leaving seven dead

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Jan. 25, 1999	Contact: Linda Green*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{035} 

By Jane Dennis*

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (UMNS)--Huddled under the parsonage stairs, clutching his
5-year-old daughter,  Libby, Kevin Lyon rode out a thunderous tornado that
turned much of Arkansas 
upside down Jan. 21. His wife, Donna, took cover in a closet with sons
Joshua, 6, and Stephen, 13. 

"In 20 seconds it was pretty much over," said Kevin Lyon, pastor of First
United Methodist Church in Beebe. 

When they emerged, every window of the home was gone and a large tree had
been tossed through the roof like a spear, piercing both the second and
ground  floors.

Yet, in typical tornado nonsense, Donna Lyon's collection of porcelain
angels were unharmed and hadn't been moved an inch in their display case.

"My wife probably saved my life," Lyon said. "She's the alarmist in the
family. I just sit back and say, 'Aw honey, don't worry ...' 

"But this time, Donna heard it coming, and she said, 'Kevin, it's coming!'
At  first I didn't believe her. But then I heard it, and I was the one who
said,  'Oh, Donna, it's coming!' "

The Lyons were unharmed. The parsonage, however, didn't fare so well.  "I
have a feeling they'll bring the bulldozer in on it," the pastor said. 

Dark, heavy thunderclouds rumbled across the state and spawned 38 turning,
twisting tornadoes-- a new record for the number of twisters to hit a state
in one day. Marching through in the late afternoon and  evening hours, the
treacherous storm system scarred the state, leaving rural  farm communities
in tatters, mid-size towns uprooted and the capital city,  Little Rock, a
mish-mash of yellow police tape, uprooted trees and demolished  homes and
businesses.

The tornadoes left seven persons dead and more than 46 confirmed injured,
according to state Office of Emergency Services (OES) and at least 1,356
homes are damaged or destroyed across the state, including 676 in the city
of Little Rock. 

Of 26 counties reporting damage to the state, 17 declared local emergencies
and requested state help. The cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock
issued similar declarations and requests and the state called out the
National Guard to supply water and cleanup crews. 

President Bill Clinton designated five counties as federal disaster areas:
Independence, Saline, St. Francis, Pulaski and White. Also, Arkansas Gov.
Mike Huckabee declared state disaster areas in those counties plus Clay,
Cleburne, Faulkner, Greene, Hot Spring, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence,
Lonoke, Monroe and Prairie counties. 

The storm ensnared commuters on highways and byways, downing massive
interstate signs, leaving crackling power lines across roads and knocking
over 18-wheel tractor-trailer rigs as if they were match sticks. 

A Little Rock woman was killed as she pulled into her driveway and a tree
fell on her car. An infant was found dead in the rubble of a home on Main
Street in Beebe. A Center Hill woman, the mother of a United Methodist
pastor from Searcy, lost her life when her home was blown apart by the
powerful winds.

Beebe, a community of about  4,000, was among the hardest hit. Three
tornadoes are believed to have passed through the town. 

"It's an absolute mess. It looks like a war zone," said Clif Christopher, a
United Methodist clergyman from nearby Cabot who serves as an Army Reserve
and State Police chaplain and is well acquainted with disaster situations.

"There's not a home left standing on Main Street," he said. And virtually
every tree along Main Street, which is lined with older homes and manicured
lawns, was toppled.

Beebe First United Methodist Church is also located on Main Street. The
church building suffered some roof, window and water damage, but Lyon said
it can be  repaired. An educational annex to the church was also destroyed. 

"The walls were blown away and the roof landed in our back yard," he said. 

Not far away, Wanda Wilson, 65, a well respected community leader from tiny
Center Hill, was killed when the tornado struck her home. She was the mother
of Jim Gilliam, pastor of the Oak Grove and Gum Springs United Methodist
churches in the Batesville District of the North Arkansas Conference.

Area hospitals in Little Rock and around the state treated dozens, including
several persons critically injured. Wounds from flying debris were common,
along with broken bones, head wounds, cuts and bruises.

Little Rock's Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church lost some windows,
though their historic stained glass windows were not damaged. One block
away,  however, the Harvest Foods grocery store collapsed, trapping several
employees and shoppers inside. As torrential rains continued in the dark
night,  emergency crews worked frantically for more than an hour to free the
trapped  persons and get them medical attention.

Just a few hours after the storm blew through, the activities building at
First United Methodist Church, Little Rock, was converted into a Red Cross
emergency shelter. The United Methodist Committee on Relief is working with
the American Red Cross and other organizations to feed tornado survivors.

The Rev. Michael Mattox, Little Rock district superintendent, said members
of St. Andrew,
Sardis, Wesley Chapel, First, White Memorial and Quapaw Quarter United
Methodist churches in  Little Rock reported damage to homes and businesses.
In all, gas and electric utilities were disrupted for more than 75,000
residents.

In eastern Arkansas, members of Wheatley United Methodist Church were
helping  care for 13 people in that community who lost their homes. "After
spending  the night in the civic center where it was very cold, we got them
situated in a local motel," said pastor James Lann. 

The survivors lost everything, he said. "So some of the ladies in the church
gave them clothes right out of their closets. One member gave some new
clothes she bought just last week," Lann said. 

Those hit by the storm are "in a state of shock. They just need loving and a
little bit of help," Lann said.

Complete damage estimates will not be available for several days, according
to OES officials, primarily because much of the destruction occurred in
rural areas around the state.

United Methodist churches throughout the state have been set up as feeding
stations, shelters and relief centers. For example, at Kensett United
Methodist Church in the Batesville District, more than 150 people took
shelter in the church basement when tornado warnings were sounded. 

"It was a little crowded," said pastor John Wedaman, "but some folks were
sitting in chairs, and the kids got out their colors and drew pictures. We
listened to the storm reports on the radio a lot. Everyone knew to come to
the Methodist church and that it was a safe place. We had a lot of high
wind, but luckily, we didn't get hit."

Newark United Methodist Church is providing space for OES personnel, the Red
Cross and Arkansas Power & Light repair crews.

The storm followed a path just west of "tornado alley," the area from
southwest Arkansas to northeast Arkansas. The March 1, 1997, tornadoes that
killed 25 followed much the same path. Communities such as Newark, Newport,
Shannon Hills and Sardis in Little Rock were hit again by the recent
tornadoes

The Rev. Dennis Spence, Batesville district superintendent, toured towns in
his district 
touched by tornadoes. In rural Pleasant Plains "the damage was awesome," he
said. "I saw gigantic trucks turned over, and a van out in a field with no
tracks coming or going. It was blown there." 

Among the persons who spent the night at Primrose United Methodist Church in
Little Rock were three families whose homes were destroyed in the 1997
tornado. For them, the surreal scenario of destruction repeated itself in
1999. 

Tom Hazelwood, disaster response network manager for United Methodist
Committee on Relief, arrived in Little Rock Jan. 22. Disaster relief
coordinators and superintendents have made early  assessment tours of
devastated areas as well.  Cleanup began almost immediately.

 In Beebe, Lyon said, "folks came out of the  woodwork to help, bringing
chain saws and water ..."

Even though Beebe's hub along Main Street was "really devastated," Lyon
said,  the attitude of the people is very positive. "There's a lot of work
to be  done, but we're going to be fine. Everyone has a good attitude.
They're saying let's get to work and get it done."

Donations to UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response, #901670-1 will help provide
immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term recovery and may be
contributed through local churches or mailed to UMCOR at 475 Riverside Dr.,
Room 330, New York, NY 10115.

# # #
*Dennis is director of communications for the Arkansas Area and editor of
the Arkansas United Methodist.

______________
United Methodist News Service
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