MORGAN COUNTY, Tenn. – A mother and daughter were killed Thursday night during a tornado strike in Tennessee, according to local emergency management.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said severe weather impacted the Deer Lodge and Sunbright communities about 8:30 p.m. local time. The likely tornado struck about 60 miles northeast of Knoxville.
The National Weather Service in Morristown said Friday that, “Preliminary survey results indicate an EF-2 with 135 [mph] max winds in Morgan County near Deer Lodge.”
A second tornado was confirmed in Grainger County, Tennessee near Thorn Hill. Preliminary survey results indicate that tornado was an EF-1.
LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING IN WEST VIRGINIA LEADS TO NUMEROUS HIGH-WATER RESCUES, ROCKSLIDES
Video from a security camera in Deer Lodge captured the tornado-warned storm moving over the area. The farm owner wrote in a social media post that she sustained property damage.
The sheriff’s office said the storm also caused “severe property damage.” The county’s emergency management agency said three other people were hurt. At least 100 first responders, including personnel from Tennessee Highway Patrol, rushed to the scene.
Video from a nearby state traffic camera shows driving winds and lightning around the time of the storm. Officials say power and internet service have been disrupted.
HOW ARE TORNADOES RATED? THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE EXPLAINED
The National Weather Service Office in Morristown issued 9 Tornado Warnings for the area as severe thunderstorms moved across the region.
Tornado Warning interrupts high school basketball broadcast
One of those Tornado Warnings covered the town of Sunbright, where a high school basketball doubleheader was under way. The storm delayed the game and forced students and fans to take shelter at Sunbright School as the storm passed.
The interruption was broadcast live on the game’s live stream on Morgan County Today about 90 minutes into their three-hour broadcast. Broadcasters Tommy Lee Francis and Justan Spurling provided staff and viewers updates as the storm moved through the area.
Spurling said on the broadcast that he is a storm chaser and provided updates from live radar. He noted that there was “possible rotation” and that the worst of the storm would pass three miles to the south of the school.
The Sunbright School released a statement on social media Friday saying, “Thank you to everyone who was at the Sunbright High School vs Greenback game last night for your cooperation and patience as we endured the storm. Huge shout out to the fans from both Sunbright and Greenback for their wonderful sportsmanship through the evacuation and games.”
