CNN —
Nearly two dozen people were hospitalized after a tornado ripped through metro-Little Rock, Arkansas Friday and meteorologists warned dangerous twisters, heavy rain and large hail still threatened millions more in the Mississippi Valley.
Baptist Health Medical Centers in Arkansas said it received 21 patients in the aftermath of the tornado, including five who were in critical condition, hospital spokesperson Cara Wade told CNN in an email.
The Storm Prediction Center issued a Level 5 out of 5 “high risk” for severe weather – the highest risk level there is when it comes to severe storms – for two regions. One region stretches from parts of eastern Arkansas, southwestern Tennessee and northern Mississippi while another includes parts of southeastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and northeastern Missouri and Iowa City in Iowa.
Track the storms here
The last time a Level 5 high risk was issued was on March 25, 2021, when powerful storms and tornadoes killed at least six people and ripped apart communities in the Southeast.
In Arkansas’ Pulaski County, where a tornado touched down Friday, the state’s emergency management office told CNN there was a “high probability” of multiple injuries.
“There is widespread damage in the area,” spokesperson LaTresha Woodruff said.
More than 54,000 people were without power across the county, according to poweroutage.us. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. called the tornado “devastating” and said he asked for National Guard assistance. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency, saying the state will “spare no resource” in responding and recovering from the storm.
Another tornado touched down in nearby Garland County, the National Weather Service said.
The latest round of severe weather comes a week after powerful storms pummeled the Southeast and killed at least 26 people. An overnight tornado also leveled nearly the entire community of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, where estimated maximum winds of 170 mph roared.
More than 27 million people were under tornado watches Friday evening, stretching from southern Arkansas to northern Iowa until 8 p.m. CDT and parts of northeast Texas, northwest Louisiana and far southern Oklahoma until 9:00 p.m. CDT.
Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tyler, Texas, are included in the tornado watch.
A reported tornado near Ottumwa, Iowa, Friday afternoon, caused structural damage but has caused no known injuries, local emergency management officials said.
A tornado watch is also in effect for Northern Illinois, Northwest Indiana, Southern Wisconsin and Lake Michigan until 10 p.m. CDT, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Know the difference between a tornado watch and tornado warning
Long-track and “potentially violent” tornadoes are possible across portions of the Mississippi Valley and the South, the National Weather Service said.
But that’s not all: those areas can expect damaging wind gusts and very large hail as well, the service said, urging people to remain vigilant.
Some of the tornadoes may be EF-3 or higher, meaning they would have winds of at least 136 mph.
“We are concerned about strong tornadoes and widespread damaging winds,” Bill Bunting, chief of forecast operations at the Storm Prediction Center, told CNN, noting the storms will be fast-moving. “We’ve been trying to stress, don’t wait until you see visual cues of the storm approaching, take action when warnings are issued.”
At least three states have activated emergency plans because of the weather.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Friday he has activated the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan as parts of the state began getting hit by the storm.
“We want to ensure all necessary state resources are available if extreme disruptions and damage were to affect our communities,” he said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has issued a state of emergency ahead of severe weather headed for the state. Kentuckians are expected to be sheltered by 5 p.m. CST.
“This is the worst forecast that I’ve seen as Governor,” Beshear said. “I am declaring a state of emergency so that we can be prepared.”