A severe weather system that rampaged through the South on Saturday spawned powerful tornadoes in Tennessee, leaving six people dead and more than 20 injured, buildings in tatters and trees and power lines toppled, officials said.
By early Sunday, the hardest hit places appeared to be the northern part of Nashville and Clarksville, in northern Tennessee, where officials reported severe and extensive damage. Emergency crews continued searching for survivors and assessing the extent of the devastation left by the storm, as officials suggested the death toll might rise. More than 52,000 customers were without power in Tennessee.
Officials in Montgomery County, which includes Clarksville, said that two adults and one child had died as a result of a tornado in the afternoon, and that 23 people were injured and had been taken to hospitals.
“We are still in the search-and-rescue phase of this disaster and will provide updates as we receive confirmation,” the county said on Facebook. Mayor Joe Pitts of Clarksville declared a state of emergency and enacted a 9 p.m. curfew for Saturday and Sunday night.
In Davidson County, which encompasses Nashville, officials said three people had died as “a result of the severe weather.” Freddie O’Connell, the mayor of Nashville, declared a state of emergency for the city and Davidson County, allowing the area to obtain state and federal resources.
Earlier, three weather-related injuries, including one head injury, were reported in Dresden, Tenn., said Ray Wiggington, the emergency management director for Weakley County. At least one mobile home was flipped over, he said.