THE TORNADO HIT DOWNTOWN PPORTSMOUTH ... PDARBY: IT WAS TOTAL DEVASTATION PBACK IN 1996. PTHE FOLKS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS PTORNADO, IT WAS A TERRIBLE PEVENT. PI PUT TOGETHER A BLOG ON THIS PTORNADO ...

On April 21, 1996, a destructive tornado leveled parts of Fort Smith and Van Buren. It developed at about 11 p.m., right over the Arkansas River and entered downtown Fort Smith, with little warning.

The EF-3 tornado struck April 21, 1996, touching down at 11:12 p.m. on the west ... historic buildings then moved to residential areas on both sides of the Arkansas River in Fort Smith and Van Buren.

tornado that ever hit Arkansas," then-Rep. Tim Hutchinson told 5NEWS in 1996. "It's pretty bad." After the twister tore through Fort Smith and Van Buren, the same supercell produced another ...