Wave of storms turns deadly in Tennessee, with more twisters hitting the state as night approaches

CNN
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At least two people were killed in Tennessee as strong storms battered the Middle East on Wednesday. And by night, flash floods and more tornadoes hit the state, including a twister that carved a path of destruction through communities south of Nashville.

Tornado warnings were also issued late Wednesday for several southern states, including northern Alabama. In Alabama, “a large and destructive tornado” touched down in the area of ​​Henager, a city of several thousand people about 55 miles east of Huntsville. Service said.A tornado warning was also issued early Wednesday night. in the Huntsville area.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for parts of Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee until 3 a.m. CT Thursday. A tornado watch means severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible in the monitored area.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday there were four reports of tornadoes from Tennessee and two from Maury County, where a tornado emergency was in effect. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, “a large and destructive tornado was confirmed” near the city of Spring Hill around 5:50 p.m. Pacific time.

Maury Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Rita Thompson told CNN the tornado killed at least one person and injured four others in Maury County. Three of the patients have non-life-threatening injuries, but one is in critical condition, Thompson said.

County officials told CNN there was widespread damage in the area, including downed trees. Buildings were also damaged, but Maury County Commissioner Eric Previti said he was not aware of the extent of the damage.

“We are asking everyone to stay off the roads. If you can, please stay home,” the Maury County Emergency Management Agency posted on Facebook.

A flash flood emergency was issued Wednesday night for Robertson and Sumner counties in Middle Tennessee along the Kentucky border and about 20 to 30 miles north of Nashville, the weather service said.

“As of 6:56 p.m. CDT, water rescues and extremely dangerous flooding are occurring in the emergency area,” weather officials said in a statement. Radar estimates show 4 to 7 inches of rain across these counties today, and more heavy rain will move across the region in the coming hours.

Robertson County Emergency Management officials said there were several water rescues but no immediate reports of injuries.

The first death from the storm was reported Wednesday morning in Claiborne County, Tennessee. According to the county’s emergency management office, a tree fell on the person’s car during a severe storm. The person has not been identified.

Dangerous storms with damaging winds, large hail and tornado warnings have been in place in several states since Wednesday morning. Dangerous weather continues a day after powerful tornadoes and storms ripped through southwest Michigan, destroying homes and businesses and injuring several residents.

Severe weather is expected to move into the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic on Thursday, bringing more hail, damaging winds and the possibility of several tornadoes.

Here are the latest updates on storms and destruction in Tennessee on Wednesday and damage in Michigan on Tuesday.

• Periods of chaotic bad weather: Tornadoes are most active in the United States from April to June, with May typically being the month with the most tornadoes. This year was no exception. At least one tornado has been reported every day in the U.S. since April 25, the 14th consecutive day and continuing.

• Damage and debris on Interstate 65: The Tennessee Department of Transportation says it is sending crews to areas near Interstate 65 and State Route 99 where there was damage and debris. “One lane was closed on I-65S at MM 47 in Morley Co. after a reported tornado moved across the interstate. Reports from the scene indicate damage to vehicles and signs in the area. ,” said Department of Transportation spokeswoman Rebecca Hammons. on X.

• Mobile home park hit by tornado: A tornado struck Tuesday, injuring more than a dozen people at a mobile home park in Pavilion Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, city officials said. Fifteen to 20 people suffered minor injuries and were taken to two area hospitals, said Andrew Alspach, the county’s emergency management spokesman.

• One Michigan town may have been hit twice. The National Weather Service said the area was under two tornado warnings in just over an hour, and at least one, and possibly two, tornadoes struck Portage Tuesday evening. According to town officials, homes and businesses in the city suffered extensive damage, but no one was seriously injured. The tornado left a large hole in the FedEx facility. A Kalamazoo County Administrative Office spokesperson told MLive.com that about 50 people were trapped in the facility for several hours. CNN has not been able to verify the report. Portage Public Safety Director Nicholas Armold later said all employees were accounted for when emergency responders arrived.

• At least two other Michigan counties have also reported damage. St. Joseph County Deputy Sheriff Jason Bingaman said a possible tornado touched down in Centerville on Tuesday, destroying multiple homes and businesses. Bingaman told CNN that storm damage ripped off the roof and the house was “completely destroyed,” he said. At least seven homes were destroyed in nearby Branch County, Emergency Management Director Tim Miner said.

• Michigan’s first tornado emergency: Parts of Branch County, including Union City, were placed under Michigan’s first tornado emergency after a “large and destructive tornado” struck the area Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. A tornado emergency is the most extreme type of tornado warning and is often issued only when a tornado threatens to cause catastrophic damage and loss of life in a populated area.

About 3.7 million people were under a severe thunderstorm risk level of 5/5 on Wednesday night, according to the Storm Prediction Center. This risk includes parts of Alabama, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, including Nashville.

An additional 590 million people from Texas through much of the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic Coast and Northeast are at Level 2/5 or Level 3/5 risk.

Powerful storms with damaging winds, hail bigger than baseballs and tornado warnings have been roaring across multiple states since Wednesday morning.

View this interactive content on CNN.com

Some areas that endured the first round of severe storms early Wednesday are at risk of being hit by another round of severe storms later in the day. Tennessee is a prime example.

Repeat storms on Wednesday will also bring heavy rain, increasing the risk of flooding.

“The greatest flash flooding threat also coincides with the risk of severe thunderstorms centered in Kentucky and Tennessee and parts of neighboring states,” the National Weather Service said. According to the Weather Prediction Center, the risk of flooding rain has reached level 3/4 here.

Rainfall could reach 2 inches per hour, dramatically increasing the chance of flash flooding. More than 4 to 5 inches of rain could be recorded in locations hit by multiple severe storms.