Wicked Texas Weather Stomps Arkansas

BENTON, Ark. (AP) -- April 10, 2008 — -- Another round of storms moved acrossArkansas on Thursday, bringing heavy rain, hail and high winds to astate already contending with three weeks of flooding and 10tornadoes from a week ago.

The Searcy County Sheriff's Department said some residents inthe small north Arkansas town of Leslie were evacuated because offlooding and the threat of mudslides. Workers were sandbagging inplaces to keep flood waters at bay. U.S. Highway 65 was coveredwith water in places. Travelers were asked to stay off the roads.

"It's just getting worse," sheriff's dispatcher Nola Masseysaid. "We're just trying to get everybody to stay home and not getout in it."

Schools in Norfork closed at 9:15 a.m. because of flooding.Marshall schools were closed because of high water, and the BuffaloNational River in north Arkansas was closed to recreational users.About 1,000 customers of Entergy Arkansas lost power as tornadosirens blared in parts of central Arkansas, including Little Rock.

Many roads in southern Lonoke County were flooded, includingArkansas 13 near Carlisle and Arkansas 31 between Blakemore andCoy. Stone County also reported flood damage and Arkansas 263 inCleburne County was impassable. Part of Arkansas 9 in Izard Countywas flooded, along with many county roads.

A number of washouts were reported on county roads in SharpCounty.

At Little Rock National Airport, flights were suspended forabout 50 minutes when a tornado warning was issued for the area.T.J. Williams, that airport's manager of media and marketing, said300-400 people were moved to safe places away from windows.

"We suspended everything for a while until the weather passed.Those who were on planes deboarded and were brought inside,"Williams said.

Most flights were back on schedule by early afternoon, and theairport reported no damage.

"It went incredibly well. The people were incrediblycooperative, and we all worked together and the event ended and wewent on our way," Williams said.