NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A severe storm that killed six people, including a 2-year-old boy in Middle Tennessee, was moving east Sunday and threatening a wide swath of the country from Maryland to Florida and across the central Gulf Coast with severe thunderstorms. Heavy rain and even snow.
Dozens of people were injured, cars overturned on I-65, trees were struck, and roofs were blown off as shoppers took shelter in store basements Saturday in Tennessee due to what the National Weather Service tentatively determined to be a series of tornadoes.
The “dynamic” system was bringing thunderstorms to much of the East Coast and possibly heavy snow in the Appalachians and the Northeast interior on Sunday and Monday, the National Weather Service said in a warning.
AccuWeather warned that winds could reach 50 mph around New York City and Boston, with winds likely reaching 60-70 mph on Long Island and along the southern Massachusetts coast. The forecaster said that travel on roads and airlines may be difficult during Sunday night and into Monday morning.
The good news: The weather service said conditions should start improving Monday night into Tuesday morning.
The sun was already up Sunday in Tennessee, where residents were searching through the rubble of dozens of razed homes and businesses.
“We are focused on caring for people today and empowering them to move from heartbreak to resilience,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell told USA TODAY on Sunday. He added: “Today’s beautiful sunshine will become a dangerous cold snap tonight, so we are working safely.” Restoring power and getting information about shelter options.”
About 36,000 homes and businesses were without power in Tennessee on Sunday. Another 8,000 outages were reported in Alabama.
The monster storm system comes exactly two years after the system swept through Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois, killing more than 80 people, most of them in Kentucky. In March 2020, 25 people died and hundreds were injured after more than six tornadoes touched down in Middle Tennessee, just a few miles from where the deaths were reported on Saturday.
At least six dead and 23 wounded:Nashville area devastated by tornadoes
The storm system could be the deadliest December on record for the region
Saturday's severe weather outbreak could be the deadliest December on record for tornado disasters in Middle Tennessee, according to the weather service in Nashville. The region previously recorded a total of eight tornado deaths, over decades of tornado incidents, in December.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed “preliminary reports” of 13 tornadoes across the state. The National Weather Service said an estimated nine counties were affected by tornado damage, and counties affected by severe weather damage were “likely twice that.”
Several weather alerts have been issued for the area, including 34 storm warnings – including 20 tornado warnings. The Weather Service issued a “tornado emergency” for parts of the region for the first time in more than a decade as the storms moved through, according to meteorologist Sam Shamburger.
Storms destroy homes in Tennessee
The Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed three deaths: Joseph Dalton, 37; Floridima Gabriel Perez, 31 years old; and her son, Anthony Elmer Mendez, 2 years old. First responders have participated in dozens of search and rescue missions and responded to dozens of vehicle accidents and other incidents involving property damage and injuries. The roof collapse of a church north of downtown sent 13 people to hospitals, according to Nashville emergency officials.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office also confirmed that three people died in Clarksville, about 45 miles northwest of downtown Nashville. Montgomery County officials said about 60 people were being treated at medical facilities for injuries, and nine of them were transported to a Nashville hospital in critical condition.
in social media sharing, O'Connell urged residents to be extremely careful because many power lines were down throughout the city.
Leanne Garay was at her mother's home in suburban Madison, 10 miles north of Nashville, with her four children when they heard sirens. Hours later, she returned to her neighboring house to find that her fence had fallen and part of her roof had been torn off. She saw other homes in her neighborhood suffering much more damage.
“We are fine compared to everyone, but it is still a shock that we have nowhere to go or anything to do, and our house was damaged by water,” she said. “We always hear alarms and everything but we've never encountered anything like this before.”
“A sad day for our community”:At least 6 dead due to tornadoes sweeping through Middle Tennessee
Tornado in Clarksville 'devastating and tragic'
A tornado touched down in Clarksville, 50 miles northwest of Nashville, at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, prompting Shanika Washington to take her children, ages 5 and 10, into a windowless bathroom in the basement of her home. She tried to protect them with her body for 20 terrifying minutes.
“The back door definitely opened, and I just heard the wind blowing,” she said. “I could tell we were dead in the middle of the storm.”
Up to 100 military families were displaced from Fort Campbell in Clarksville Nearly 80 people in the area were hospitalized, Tennessee reported.
The shelter set up at Northeast High has attracted an outpouring of support and donations from churches, restaurants, businesses and community members. The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System announced that schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday as the cleanup continues.
“Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the loss of life and serious injuries,” the district said in the announcement on its home page. “Many families have lost their entire homes and others are doing what they can to make repairs. This has been a devastating and tragic weather event in our community.”
The mayor and governor warned and mourned
“Tonight, Nashville joins other communities across Middle Tennessee mourning the loss of lives due to deadly tornadoes,” O’Connell posted on X. “As we continue to assess the devastation, please keep our neighbors in your thoughts and prayers. Be safe and take care of each other.” “
Gov. Bill Lee, who issued a Level 3 emergency, and his wife posted similar sentiments: “Maria and I are praying for all Tennesseans impacted by the tornadoes that tore through the state…We are grieving for lives.” “I am lost and ask everyone to continue to follow the guidance of local and state officials.”
Contributing: Tennessee; Associated Press
