Diaz, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – March 16, 2025 – The National Weather Service in Little Rock has graded a tornado that hit Jacksonport, Diaz and Campbell Station in Jackson County Friday night an EF-4 strength storm. Officials said that the tornado had estimated peak winds of 190 mph, 11 mph short of being classified as an EF-5.

Jonesboro Media Group President/General Manager Trey Stafford, the long-time weather voice for the media group’s radio stations, toured the Jackson County storm damage Sunday afternoon. He was joined with the media group’s weather spotter Paul Carter.

“Driving into Campbell Station from the North on Highway 167 the first thing we spotted was a tall, steel transmission line tower mangled and twisted,” Carter said. “I told Trey right then “this is bad.'”

The storm cut a path several hundred yards wide from Southwest to Northeast from Jacksonport through Diaz and on to Campbell Station. The mangled transmission line and twisted trees nearby were the last signs of damage before the storm traveled on to the Northeast over mostly farmland.

Stafford said damage to homes, trees and power lines was widespread through the three communities.

Ken and Sherra Davenport live in Diaz. Their home was destroyed by Friday’s tornado. “And when I say destroyed, I mean destroyed. As in eliminated,” Carter said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The home was completely eliminated down to the foundation. That thing pulled the home off the base plate anchor bolts.”

Ken and Sherra were home Friday night with some of their grandchildren. About thirty minutes before the tornado struck, they sought safety in their storm shelter. The access to the shelter was a plywood door in the floor of the home’s garage. After the storm passed the door to the shelter was blocked, trapping the family inside.

“One of my nieces called her dad, Tim Burzynski, and told him ‘We’re trapped in the storm cellar’,” said Julie Davenport Brand, Ken and Sherra’s daughter who lives in Northwest Arkansas now. “Tim called my parent’s neighbor, Ryan Cloud, and he ran across the yard and dug them out.”

The Davenports are farmers. Their property was full of vehicles, farm equipment and recreational vehicles. Ken is also a pilot. His Cessna 210 airplane was parked inside a hangar adjacent to the home. The hangar was destroyed. “We’re looking for the airplane,” Brand said. “The airplane is gone. I mean gone. We can’t find it.” The video below shows this equipment, which was all operational and drivable prior to the storm.

Ken and Sherra also have two pets, a dog and a cat, who are both safe. “They had one cat, Carly. I found it today,” Brand said. “They also have a dog, Lucky who was found alive and well Saturday morning.”

Clean-up will continue in Jacksonport, Diaz and Campbell Station for days and weeks to come. Power company crews had many men and vehicles in the communities working today. Police and National Guard units were seen controlling traffic. A command center is set-up at the Diaz City Hall. Anyone wishing to volunteer to help clean-up is asked to check-in and check-out there.

The Jackson County storm traveled Northeast across Western Craighead County across Bono. Very little if any storm damage was visible across the rest of Jackson County and the Western portion of Craighead County. “We found one small farm shop just Southwest of Bono that was destroyed,” Carter said. “Tin was strewn across the adjoining field. The storm was churning it just wasn’t touching down.”

Stafford said they found trees down on Highway 141 just South of Golf North Hills. Trees were also down where the storm crossed County Road 780 then Northeast across Highway 351 near Liberty Church of Christ. The storm traveled on to the Northeast where it slammed into Paragould causing extensive damage. The National Weather Service in Memphis has given the Paragould storm a preliminary EF-2 rating.

Three fatalities have been confirmed in Independence County, and 32 people were reported injured in eight counties in connection to the storm system that moved through the state Friday night. Numbers were preliminary and subject to change.

The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management issued guidelines following a storm like the one experienced Friday night. A path of destruction, debris, downed trees, and power lines can make the aftermath of a tornado very dangerous. Before you assess the damage and begin the cleanup process, please be mindful of these tips for staying safe after a tornado.

  • Reserve phone calls for emergencies and use text messaging or social media to communicate with family and friends.
  • Pay attention to the National Weather Service, NOAA Weather Radio, meteorologists, and local authorities for updated information.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you are sick or need medical attention. Wait for further care instructions and continue to shelter in place.
  • Do not go near fallen power lines or broken utility poles and contact your local power company to file a report.
  • Wear appropriate gear during cleanup such as thick-soled shoes, long pants, work gloves, appropriate face coverings, and masks.
  • Sort debris into separate piles: Vegetative, Construction and Demolition, White Goods, Electronics, and Household Hazardous Waste.

If you are interested in volunteering in an affected area, please visit helparkansas.com for storm recovery information.