Arkansas Tornadoes: 'Utter Devastation', 15 Deaths Reported

Survivors and emergency workers continue to pick through debris in communities northwest of Little Rock, Arkansas, after a large tornado demolished homes and left at least 15 dead Sunday night.

The tornado that touched down around 7 p.m. Sunday about 10 miles west of Little Rock grew to be half a mile wide and remained on the ground for much of that route, authorities said.

Most of the dead in Arkansas were killed in their homes in and around Vilonia, a town that was recovering from a tornado that killed four people in April 2011.

Three people died when the tornado tore a Paron home down to the foundation. Emily Tittle, 17, said her family took shelter under the stairs of their two-story home before the twister ripped the walls away. She said her father, Rob Tittle; 20-year-old sister Tori and 14-year-old sister Rebekah were killed, and her six other siblings were taken to hospitals.

Officials said the death toll could have been worse if residents hadn't piled into underground storm shelters and fortified safe rooms after listening to forecasts on TV and radio, getting cellphone alerts or calls or texts from loved ones, and hearing sirens blare through their neighborhoods.

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor visited the scene of the devastation Monday in Mayflower, Arkansas, where he captured this photo:

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/mayflower-arkansas-tornado-20140427