Tennesseans across the state are in a much different situation than they were a week ago as the result of a series of tornadoes that ripped through the middle part of the state this past weekend.
According to the National Weather Service, parts of Hendersonville and the Nashville-suburb Madison were hit with peak winds reaching 125 mph. It was also reported that a single tornado classified as an EF-3 traveled roughly 43 miles from the Clarksville area in Montgomery County to Logan County. In total, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed preliminary reports of 13 total tornadoes across the state.
Disaster response crews began removing debris in the Clarksville area Monday morning and shelters, food trucks and mobile shower units were brought in for residents in need, Clarksville mayor Joe Pitts, told CNN in an interview.
In a press conference, Pitts stated that the Clarksville Department of Electricity reported more than 12,000 customers were affected by outages. He estimates restoration efforts may take weeks. At a news conference in Nashville on Sunday, December 10, the Nashville Electric Service CEO, Teresa Broyles-Aplin reported service had already been restored to roughly 18,000 customers in the area, but 26,000 were still without power.
Freezing conditions add to the urgency of the situation with temperatures predicted to drop into the 20s. Shelters have been set up throughout the affected areas and Red Cross officials are prepared to offer other vital support to those in need.
City officials reported in an article from WPLN News that countless buildings collapsed or received significant damage in the Nashville area as well as fuel which leaked from a diesel tank into Dry Creek. Multiple gas mains were also damaged and city leaders are warning residents to stay away from downed power lines.
Information sourced from:
WPLN News - https://wpln.org/post/tennessee-tornado-recovery-complicated-by-freezing-temps/
CNN - https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/weather/tennessee-tornadoes-nashville-damage-monday/index.html
