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So far, four deaths have been reported after tornadoes and extreme weather in several places in the Midwest and southern states in the United States on Friday. In Belvidere, Illinois, the roof collapsed during a concert.
Large forces from the emergency services are in place in Belvidere after the roof of the Apollo Theater has collapsed.
On Saturday morning, Norwegian time, local police report that one person has died as a result of the incident. 28 are injured, five of them seriously.
Photos and video from the scene show chaos and extensive destruction. Video, which is supposed to be from the inside, shows people lifting roof debris and looking for people underneath.
The concert featuring heavy metal bands Morbid Angel, Revocation and Skeletal Remains was sold out with around 260 guests, and reportedly started playing at 7pm local time, according to the theatre’s website.
It is unclear whether the concert was in progress when the roof collapsed, but CBS News writes that the collapse happened 30 minutes into the concert.
A local witness tells VG that there is great destruction, also several kilometers from the concert venue.
– The roof seems to have collapsed right onto the stage, says Marcos Carlson to VG.
He was not at the concert himself, but at the scene shortly after the accident. He says forensics are on the scene.
By 10 p.m. local time, everyone must be out of the building, writes CBS.
The tornado alarm went off
Polo says that the tornado alarm in the city went off around 30 minutes before the incident.
The concert with the heavy metal bands Morbid Angel, Revocation and Skeletal Remains was supposed to start clawkken 19 local time, according to the theatre’s website. It is unclear whether the concert was in progress when the roof collapsed.
There is a strong storm in the city, which is outside Chicago in the USA. There is also other destruction outside the theater.
Local authorities are asking people to stay away from the area.
More deaths due to tornado
In Arkansas, one person died and around twenty were injured in a powerful tornado in the state capital of Little Rock. The condition is critical for several of the injured.
Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. confirmed on Friday evening that 24 people have been admitted to hospital. Earlier in the evening, local TV station WUSA reported that at least 600 were injured, but gave no details on how serious the injuries were.
The tornado plowed through Little Rock and surrounding areas Friday afternoon. It turned roofs into tiles, overturned vehicles and hurled debris and debris onto the roads, all while people sought shelter from the storm.
More than 350,000 people were at risk as what the National Weather Service called a large and destructive tornado tore through business districts and neighborhoods.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the tornado has done significant damage in the central part of the state. She states that the emergency services are working to assist everyone who is injured. The hospitals were preparing to receive many injured.
In the town of Wynne in north-east Arkansas, two deaths have been reported. A number of houses have been destroyed, and in several places people are stuck under the rest of the destroyed buildings.
Strong storms threatened at least 15 states in the Midwest and the southern United States on Friday. More than 85 million people were covered by Friday’s severe weather warning, including unusually severe thunderstorms with possible hail, gusty winds and tornadoes.
