Tennessee tornado kills mother and daughter, leaves severe property damage, officials say
A rare February tornado swept through a swath of eastern Tennessee on Thursday night, killing a mother and daughter and injuring at least three other people as it caused severe property damage, officials said. Another tornado also struck farther east in the state.
The National Weather Service confirmed Friday that Deer Lodge in Morgan County was hit by a tornado. The weather service's office in Morristown said on social media that a preliminary survey of the damage indicated the twister had estimated maximum winds of 135 mph.
The weather service said the tornado was an EF2 on the agency's scale that rates the strength of tornadoes from EF0 up to EF5, the highest rating.
The Morgan County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency said on Facebook that the two victims were from the same household. The agency said the twister also hit the city of Sunbright in Morgan County.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragic event," it added.
Citing the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, CBS Knoxville affiliate WLVT-TV reported that more than a dozen homes were damaged or destroyed.
The twister was the first confirmed February tornado in the county on record, the weather service said. Only 12 tornadoes have been recorded in February in the Morristown office's coverage area, and the last one was in 2011, according to the agency.
A different tornado struck in Grainger County, about a two-hour drive northeast of Morgan County. The weather service said the EF1 tornado in Thorn Hill had estimated top winds of 110 mph. It was the fourth confirmed tornado to ever hit Grainger County, according to the agency.
Capt. Stacey Heatherly of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told the station it had sent 30 troopers to Morgan County to help.
"Right now we have the strike team activated to make sure we assist the Morgan County Sheriff's Office," she said. "That is our mission, to make sure we can help."
Aaron Evans, who's with the sheriff's office, said local, county and state first responders, along with emergency personnel from multiple agencies and counties, were conducting search and rescue operations.
A representative for the City of Oak Ridge told WVLT News the city's fire department was sending resources and help into Morgan County as well.
An Emergency Operations Center was established, and electricity, phone and internet communications were impacted, he added.
