Videos Show Tornado Rip Through Arkansas as Officials Fear Hundreds Injured

Officials on Friday fear hundreds of residents may be injured after at least one "destructive" tornado ripped through the vicinity of Little Rock, Arkansas, as a massive storm system whips through the South and Midwest.

The National Weather Service (NWS) reported Friday afternoon that a confirmed "large and destructive tornado" was seen on the ground near the Arkansas capital. KTHV, a CBS News affiliate, said the twister was confirmed around 2:25 p.m. and moved northeast, from Little Rock to Jacksonville.

At least two tornados had been confirmed as of 3:40 p.m., KTHV reported.

The Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) in Little Rock said in a statement posted to its Twitter account Friday evening that central Arkansas had "experienced a significant weather event that produced a number of tornadoes," adding that all its available staff had "reported for duty" in response.

"We are still evaluating the situation and can not provide any data at this point," read the statement.

KTHV reported that MEMS was estimating at least 600 injuries so far from the storm. A spokesperson for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center in Little Rock told the Associated Press that it was "operating at a mass casualty level," as well.

Michael Dean Shelton captured a video of one of the twisters at 2:27 p.m., filming from Rockwater Village, a community just north of Little Rock, across the Arkansas River. The 18-second clip shows the tornado swirling just a few miles away as severe-weather sirens blare in the background.

Cari Reeves posted a clip overlooking the Little Rock metro area, which shows a major tornado roaring in the background.

Chris Robertson also captured video of one of the twisters touching ground near the Arkansas capital. He said his point of view was looking toward Chenal Parkway and Markham Street, which meet just west of Little Rock.

Timothy Smith shared a video of a tornado he captured while sitting in his car as it touched down near Chenal Parkway.

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said on Twitter Friday evening that at least 24 people had been hospitalized following the storms, and that there were no reported fatalities.

"Property damage is extensive and we are still responding," he added.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had declared a State of Emergency by 5:49 p.m. Friday, and had activated the Arkansas National Guard by 6:27 p.m., according to her Twitter account.

NWS meteorologist John Moore told Newsweek that around 27 million people were still under a tornado watch as of Friday evening, expanding from eastern Texas up through Wisconsin.

"It's a very broad area, almost the entire Mississippi River Valley," Moore said.

At 6:25 p.m., another "massive and destructive" twister was spotted near Memphis, Tennessee, NWS reported, and a "large and extremely dangerous" tornado was reported at 6:28 p.m. in central Illinois, between Williamsville and Cornland.

Moore said there were also five tornado warnings in effect as of Friday evening, with some lasting until midnight. A definitive tally of the twisters won't be reported until meteorologists are able to survey the impacted areas Saturday morning, he added.

The storms come just a week after multiple twisters tore through Mississippi and northern Alabama March 24, leaving at least 25 people dead and dozens more injured. Another tornado also devastated parts of Georgia early Sunday morning.

Additional storms are expected in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast tomorrow, Moore told Newsweek. At the moment, 50 million people are under risk of severe weather for Saturday.