Recovery continues in Hot Springs neighborhoods after EF-2 tornado

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- It’s now been three days since an EF-2 tornado struck Hot Springs and in the calm after the storm, residents are left picking up the pieces.

Long Island Drive was one of the many areas damaged tremendously. Mark Buhrow has been living in the neighborhood for more than 40 years and said he has never experienced anything like this.

National Weather Service says Hot Springs hit by EF-2 tornado overnight

Describing the night, he said everything escalated quickly, starting with his wife waking him up to a Tornado Warning in Lake Hamilton. Shortly after the wind began to pick up and they took shelter.

He said nothing could’ve prepared him for the aftermath.

“We opened the door and looked out and saw the maple tree that we planted for our son 33 years ago on our neighbor’s fence,” Buhrow said.

The maple tree in the yard was lifted from the roots. Buhrow said it’ll take a while to get it removed, but thankfully, with the help of friends, he was able to get the trees out of his front yard.

Tornado recovery continues in Hot Springs, local restaurant damaged

Now, he and his neighbors are working to try to get the neighborhood back to the way it was. Buhrow said he’s hoping he never has to experience a tornado again.

“It’s just the work you’ve put into the things that you did lose that’s hard,” he said.

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