The Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association released a statement on Monday, March 18th with more information about the recent tornado, along with news about cleanup efforts. According to the statement, the Village was struck by a tornado that was rated EF-2, with winds up to 135 mph.
At this time, they believe 123 homes experienced some level of impact, with 58 homes experiencing major damage. It has been determined that there were no fatalities, and no major injuries were reported.
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When General Manager Kelly Hale took over management of the HSV Property Owners Association two years ago, one of his first undertakings was the creation of a well-prepared emergency response team for Hot Springs Village. That team jumped into action within minutes of the tornado’s touch down last Thursday.
Numerous teams from Saline and Garland Counties, as well as workers from various State agencies plus First Electric and Entergy, quickly appeared on the scene to aid in damage assessment and begin basic recovery activities. Damage assessment was hampered by hundreds of fallen trees and power lines hidden beneath the debris, both of which made the roads impassable and made it difficult to locate possible victims of the tornado.
The fast response of the utility companies led to power being restored in less than a day to the majority of the 4000 homes left without electricity after the storm and tornado. Numerous faith-based organizations quickly arrived to aid in the major task of reaching possible victims and HSV churches opened their doors to provide shelter to any residents in need.
UPDATE:
MARCH 18, 2024, 10:00AM
“The tornado was 3-4 times worse than the one that hit the Village in the early 2000s,” said Kelly Hale, who is the General Manager of the Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association (HSVPOA). “It moved like a yo-yo, bouncing up and down… hitting some homes, bouncing over others, and then dropping down to hit more homes, taking out trees and power lines in its wake.”
The POA issued an update bulletin for residents and property owners that may be wondering what’s next after the EF-2 tornado that barreled through the area on Thursday, March 14, 2024. See below for a timeline, photos, resources and more.
According to Ken Unger, Director of Public Services, the POA and volunteers are working to open all roads to homes with trapped residents. Meanwhile, Saline County Judge Matt Brumley declared a Disaster Emergency Proclamation on Friday, March 15, 2024. Per ACA 12-75-103 Saline County will be entitled to aid relief, assistance with the Disaster Emergency Proclamation.
The Saline County Office of Emergency Management is working alongside the Garland County Office of Emergency Management and Arkansas Department of Emergency Management on a damage assessment.
The POA has been approached by several volunteer organizations such as Gideon Rescue and Christian Aid Ministries and agreed to allow them to enter the Village this coming week to support residents in the affected areas free of charge. The decision whether to utilize these charitable organizations is solely the decision of the homeowner. The American Red Cross is also reaching out to residents to help.
“At this point there are no concrete plans for the approach tied to cleaning up debris from the tornado,” state Unger. “We ask for residents’ patience as we navigate through the maze of regulatory steps necessary to determine the best approach for the residents and the Village at large. Many of the decisions for next steps will be determined by decisions made at the state and federal level.”
To follow the timeline of the emergency response team and see what neighborhoods and streets were affected, Click Here.
PREVIOUSLY:
MARCH 15, 2024
The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) deployed a team on Friday to Hot Springs Village. They went to assist local agencies dealing with the aftermath of what they are calling an F2 tornado. It touched down beginning on the west side of the gated community and skipped through buildings, streets and trees on Thursday night.
The tornado caused significant damage in the community, uprooting hundreds of trees, snapping utility poles, and damaging numerous homes. In a statement, ADEM says they are working closely with local agencies. They are coordinating responses and assisting as officials evaluate the damage to homes and other areas.
ADEM said they are committed to providing the necessary resources to help restore power, clear roadways, and minimize the impact of those affected by the tornado. They will have a team on location throughout the weekend to support and assist local agencies as needed.
ADEM is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies. For additional information, contact ADEM at (501) 683-6700 or visit the website at www.adem.arkansas.gov.