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Flooding in NWA Destroys Bridges and Requires Rescues

Benton County Map
encyclopediaofarkansas.net

Some areas in north Arkansas lost residences, bridges, and electricity as a result of heavy rains and flooding Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Much of the damage is limited to Benton County where the County Judge has declared it a disaster area.

Arkansas Department of Emergency Management Information Officer Tommy Jackson said multiple rescue efforts were needed.

“Those were around residences. There were some swift water, some successful swift water rescues, pulled off during the night and early morning in north Arkansas,” said Jackson.

Damage estimates have not been completed but Jackson said some bridges were destroyed completely.

“The bridge at Cornith and Pea Ridge is gone. Another bridge at Sugar Creek and Old Wire [accent] is closed, I’m saying w-i-r-e, due to flooding. Those are fluid situations but of course anytime a bridge is washed away by rain that’s a lot of rainfall,” said Jackson.

There have been no fatalities reported in Arkansas but one person did drown in Missouri in a flood caused by the same storm system.

Jacob Kauffman is a former news anchor and reporter for KUAR.