Tornadoes Rip Through Nashville Killing 19 People, Injuring Hundreds More
Tornadoes tore through Nashville, Tennessee late Monday and early Tuesday morning, killing at least 19 people and injuring hundreds more, USA Today reported.
As reported by MarketWatch, the National Weather Service reported that tornadoes were documented three times along a 145-mile stretch of land in Nashville between 11 p.m. CT on Monday and before 2 a.m. CT on Tuesday.
The tornadoes reportedly stemmed from a powerful storm that moved through the middle of Tennessee, which Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said led to the death of nine people, with many others missing and injured.
During a Tuesday morning news conference, Lee declared a state of emergency and claimed that 30 rescue workers were injured.
“It is heartbreaking. We have had loss of life all across the state. Four different counties, as of this morning, had confirmed fatalities.”
Lee is reportedly in contact with the White House for assistance. On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump voiced his support for the people of Tennessee on Twitter.
“Prayers for all of those affected by the devastating tornadoes in Tennessee. We will continue to monitor the developments. The Federal Government is with you all of the way during this difficult time.”
Nashville mayor John Cooper also shared his thoughts on the social media platform.
“Nashville is hurting, and our community has been devastated,” he tweeted. “My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones.”
The National Weather Service noted that this was the third time a tornado has ripped through downtown Nashville, with similar disasters affecting the city back in 1933 and 1998.
Dan Blommel, a photojournalist with CBS affiliate WTVF, captured video footage of one twister as it wreaked havoc in the downtown area.
“There it is! Inside! Go! Now! Get inside, folks,” he said in a viral video clip.
Another storm chaser caught footage of a funnel cloud moving past east Nashville’s Rosebank region.
Associated Press reported that schools, transit lines, courts, an airport, and the state capitol are currently closed. In addition, some Super Tuesday polling stations were damaged and had to be moved.
As reported by USA Today, the damage from the tornadoes is extensive. At least 48 structures collapsed across Nashville, and one of the city’s resident’s recalled the sound of his roof — now a pile of shingles — being torn from his 14th Ave. North duplex on Tuesday morning.
East Nashville, Wilson County, Putnam County, and Mount Juliet are among the areas that were damaged by the storm.
“We have people missing, there are several homes flattened, so right now we are trying to establish a command post,” said Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris.
Per the Storm Prediction Center, the Nashville tornadoes mark the deadliest day for such a disaster since March 3, 2019, when 23 people were killed by a tornado outbreak in Alabama.
