UPDATE
Entergy Arkansas is bringing in additional resources to help restore power after more than 2,600 customers were without service following severe weather Friday morning.
Most of the damage appears to be lightning-related, according to J. Paul Brewster, customer service manager for Entergy.
"We have requested and are receiving outside line resources to assist with restoration efforts and anticipate having all customers that can take service restored by late tonight," Brewster said in an email.
As of noon Friday, 1,063 customers in Montgomery County and 1,111 customers in Garland County remained without service.
Brewster said Montgomery and Garland counties sustained the highest number of outages from the storms, compared to the rest of the state.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
More than 2,600 Entergy Arkansas customers were without service and the county was under a flash flood warning following severe thunderstorms Friday morning.
Several roadways were flooded due to heavy rainfall. Central Avenue, at Franklin Street, was barricaded due to standing water on the roadway.
Most of the outages are concentrated in western Garland County, particularly along Airport Road and in the area of the 70 west bridge over Lake Hamilton.
Emergency agencies report that traffic signals on Airport Road around the expressway are not functioning due to the outages.
The flash flood warning was in effect until 9:20 a.m. Friday.
At 7:22 a.m., the National Weather Service said Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the area.
"Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding has been reported in and near Hot Springs," the warning said.
Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage and low lying areas can be expected, it said.
Affected areas include Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Mountain Pine, Lonsdale, Lake Ouachita State Park, Hot Springs National Park, Jessieville, Hot Springs Memorial Field, Rockwell, Avant, Mountain Valley, Hamilton, Gulpha Gorge, Lena Landing Rec Area, Oaklawn Racetrack, Royal, Sunshine, Hempwallace and Mount Tabor.