During the evening of April 14, 1996, a violent tornado moved through Stone and Izard Counties of North Central Arkansas, causing $7.5 million in damage and killing 7 people. It was the deadliest tornado of the year in the United States.
In the picture: The Stone-Izard County Tornado tracked 40 miles through rugged terrain on 04/14/1996.

Along its 40 mile path, the tornado destroyed at least 20 homes and several businesses. The town of Melbourne (the seat of Izard County) was one of the hardest hit areas, with major damage at a car dealership, a college auditorium, and a housing project. Fortunately, the tornado claimed no lives in Melbourne.
In the picture: A house was destroyed 3.5 miles southwest of Allison (Stone County) along South Sylamore Creek.

	Most of the fatalities occurred away from population centers (such as Melbourne). Six (6) lives were lost near the neighboring towns of Allison (Stone County) and Sylamore (Izard County), which are along the banks of the White River (which separates the two counties). Near Allison, four (4) people were killed at a campground just southwest of town.
In the picture: A camping trailer was overturned at a recreational area near Allison (Stone County).

At the campground, recreation vehicles were either tossed into South Sylamore Creek (which empties into the White River) or overturned and crushed by falling trees. Another death (1) occurred 3.5 miles southwest of Allison. Just south of Sylamore, two (2) more lives were taken when a house was removed from its foundation, with the bodies thrown several hundred feet.
In the picture: A house was wiped from its foundation in Riverside subdivision along the White River just south of Sylamore (Izard County). Two deaths occurred here.

Before this event, no tornado deaths had occurred in Stone County since 1929...or in Izard County since 1936.