Many in North Arkansas try to recover from deadly storms

BRIARCLIFF, AR. — People all over North Arkansas are trying to pick up the pieces of what the storm left behind.

One of those places is in Baxter County where at least one person has died. Patricia Anne Sontag, 73, was found dead near Salesville, Arkansas.

17 people were checked into the Baxter Health Hospital. We have been told all are recovering.

People living in Briarcliff, Arkansas said they have never experienced anything like this.

“You could hear the train that sounds that they tell you about,” said Katherine Bahr, who lives in Briarcliff. “I’ve never heard it before and even felt like there was wind coming in through the roof doors.”

“I’ve never been in something like this,” said Tom Buettmana whose lake home was damaged in the storm. “And I’m 63 years old.”

Briarcliff Arkansas, about ten miles southeast of Mountain Home, saw significant damage after storms ripped up roofs, tore down powerlines, and snapped trees in half.

“Where we’re at right now, there is significant damage to a lot of homes,” said David Stults Baxter County Office of Emergency Management Director.

People living here are doing what they can to help their neighbors and find their next steps forward

“I’m just amazed that the house is still standing,” Buettmana said. “It’s amazing what this wind did.”

“It’s been very traumatic,” Bahr said. “I never thought it would happen to us. You hear about it happening to other people, but you never think it’s going to happen to us “

The Office of Emergency Management said clean up has been a team effort of first responders from all over and neighbors lending a helping hand.

“It’s not going to be fixed overnight, obviously,” Stults said. “But we’re gonna do the best we can to get everything back to where it was.”

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