Severe storms caused significant damage across parts of the U.S. once again on Wednesday, spawning destructive tornadoes, generating large hail, and resulting in the deaths of two individuals in Tennessee and one in North Carolina.
In northeastern Tennessee, powerful winds downed powerlines and trees, with Claiborne County Sheriff Bob Brooks reporting that a 22-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on his car.
Later in the afternoon, a tornado emergency — the highest alert level issued by the weather service — was declared for an area south of Nashville, including Spring Hill, Chapel Hill, and Eagleville.
Earlier, the National Weather Service had identified a likely tornado touching down near Columbia, located about 45 miles south of Nashville. Lynn Thompson, assistant director of Maury County 911, confirmed injuries and home damage in Columbia but was unable to provide further details due to the overwhelming response.
FedEx truck outside a damaged warehouse (Via Aiden Anderson/Shutterstock)
Rita Thompson, the Marketing & Communications director at Maury Regional Health, reported that the hospital had received five patients from the storms. Unfortunately, one person passed away, another was in serious condition, and three had non-life-threatening injuries.
Due to the severe weather, the Federal Aviation Administration implemented a temporary ground stop at Nashville International Airport. Additionally, northeast of Nashville, a flash flood emergency was issued for Sumner and Robertson counties, including Hendersonville and Gallatin.
The National Weather Service warned of ongoing water rescues in these areas, describing the flooding caused by intense thunderstorms as posing life-threatening risks.
