Recovery efforts begin in Hot Springs after EF-2 tornado

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – People in Hot Springs are recovering after an EF-2 tornado struck the town, damaging multiple homes.

Hot Springs resident Mark Goodcell said he was shocked to see the aftermath of the storms.

“Look at the roots down here that ripped up out of the ground,” Goodcell said as he examined his backyard.

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

People say it all happened quickly and even after surviving other storms, it’s still a horrific experience.

Stephen Hawkins said he heard glass breaking and trees falling around him, that’s when he ran to seek shelter.

“The guest bathroom and bedroom got hit with the trees, the limbs came through and went through the floor,” Hawkins said.

Severe weather slams parts of central Arkansas overnight

He said his home is repairable, but less than a block away, another family is preparing to start from scratch

“It’s probably going to have to be torn down and rebuilt,” Goodcell said as he showed the caved-in roof of his kitchen.

Goodcell said the residence has been his family’s lake home for two decades and was being redesigned before the tornado.

“We just got finished, almost finished, remodeling it and it got hit this morning so I’m kind of sad we won’t be able to come over every weekend,” he said.

LIVE UPDATES: TORNADO WATCH issued for parts of Arkansas until 10 pm

He said now their only hope is things will go back to the way the way they once were.

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