LITTLE ROCK — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that President Trump has approved Arkansas’ request for an Emergency Declaration for Direct Federal Assistance to assist Arkansas with the state response to storms, tornadoes, and flooding that began on April 2, 2025, and is ongoing. Arkansas is already experiencing flooding after last night’s rainfall and of particular concern are the Buffalo River, Spring River, Little Red River, Cache River, Black River, Saline River, Ouachita River, Eleven Point River, Mississippi River, Petit Jean River, Little River, and White River.
The Governor’s letter to the President is linked here.
“I’m so thankful to President Trump for always jumping into quick action and ensuring the American people are safe and taken care of. We appreciate his administration’s proactive response to this storm,” said Governor Sanders. “With these additional federal resources, Arkansas will have the capacity to respond to this flooding more effectively, shore up property and roadways, and save lives.”
Arkansas is specifically receiving:
Category B, limited to Direct Federal Assistance, statewide.
Update to injury count in connection to ongoing severe weather event that began April 2
NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Three additional injuries have been reported in Sharp County in connection to the ongoing severe weather affecting the State of Arkansas. This brings the total number of reported injuries to 10, with no fatalities reported. Please note that these figures are subject to change as the situation develops.
Multiple counties have all reported new impacts to the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) due to the overnight continuance of severe weather. Preliminary reports indicate flooding on multiple roadways, downed power lines and trees, evacuations, water rescues, and damage caused by a possible tornado near the City of Wynne, to be confirmed by the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service predicts that another round of excessive rainfall will impact the state on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Parts of Arkansas could see another four to six inches of rainfall, increasing the significance of catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding in certain areas. Southeast Arkansas is expected to receive all modes of severe weather, including very large hail, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes.
ADEM employees, along with our state and federal partners, will remain in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) throughout the weekend to coordinate resource requests for affected counties. We are still in the response phase of this event, and information is continuously coming in as local officials work diligently to conduct damage assessments in their areas. This process will take time, especially as severe weather continues to impact the state.
Under the direction of President Donald J. Trump, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is authorized to provide emergency protective measures limited to direct federal assistance for response efforts.
Emergency Declaration for Arkansas
WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Arkansas to supplement response efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding beginning on April 2, 2025, and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, under the public assistance program, will be provided at 75% federal funding.
The assistance is available statewide for all impacted counties.
Roland W. Jackson has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.
One fatality reported
in Little Rock in connection
to ongoing severe weather
NORTH LITTLE ROCK – One fatality has been reported in Little Rock in connection to the ongoing severe weather in Arkansas.
The deceased was a 5-year-old located in a home in the 8500 block of Mablevale Pike. Little Rock Police Department responded to assist a medical call for service at the address.
In addition, two people were reported injured in Miller County. This brings the total number of reported injuries to 12.
