SPRINGDALE, Ark. (NewsNation) — A tornado damaged buildings and downed power lines in northwest Arkansas Wednesday as severe storms, tornadoes and hurricane-force winds were forecast in much of the Deep South.

At least seven people were injured in the early morning storms that hit Springdale and the nearby town of Johnson, about 145 miles northwest of Little Rock.

The damage was extensive in Springdale, including an elementary school gymnasium and a warehouse. The Springdale School District, which is the largest in Arkansas, canceled all classes Wednesday due to storms.

The National Weather Service Tulsa tweeted, We’ve received multiple reports of damage in the Springdale area. We will be surveying the damage today to determine the official cause, any necessary ratings, etc., and we’ll update as soon as we have that information.” There were also over 8,000 power outages reported in the state.

The severe weather hit a week after server storms struck the New Orleans area.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said Mississippi and parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee are at the most significant risk for severe weather Wednesday.

More than 8 million people live in the area at greatest risk, which includes the cities of Memphis, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and Montgomery, Alabama.

A tornado watch was issued for most of Arkansas, northern Louisiana, southern Missouri, southeastern Oklahoma, and northeast Texas through early Wednesday afternoon.

Forecasters said tornadoes were likely, along with isolated wind gusts of 80 mph or higher.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.