At least nine people in Northeast Tennessee were confirmed dead following storms that devastated areas of Washington, Johnson and Greene counties Wednesday night and early this morning, and authorities were investigating reports of more.
There were widespread reports of heavy storm damage, particularly in southern Washington and Greene counties.
Six people in the Camp Creek and Horse Creek communities of Greene County died when the high winds hit, and authorities expected that number to rise, said Heather Sipe, operations officer for Greene County Emergency Management.
The storms included two likely tornadoes that touched down in Camp Creek, but those reports could not yet be confirmed, Sipe said.
Greene authorities were awaiting confirmation on at least three more deaths, and more than 30 people had storm-related injuries in Greene, according to reports from local hospitals, Sipe said.
In Johnson County, Sheriff Mike Reece said at least two people were confirmed dead.
And in Washington County, at least one person was killed and some houses were leveled when a violent storm swept through the South Central Community in the southern part of the county overnight. Rescue personnel were trying to reach people injured or trapped by the storm.
The Associated Press reported that nearly 200 people died in the South from the storms. At least 9 people were confirmed dead in Bradley County, east of Chattanooga. In neighboring Hamilton County, 41-year-old Mai Crumley was killed Wednesday when a storm hurled a tree onto her mobile home.
Locally, Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal confirmed that one person died when a mobile home overturned on Guy Brown Road from what may have been a tornado. Guy Brown Road runs between Cassi Road and Liberty Church Drive off Tenn. Highway 107 near the Greene County line.
Washington County officials asked anyone who had not been able to reach relatives or friends in the South Central Community to call an emergency hot line at 257-2803. Jeff Keeling, communications director for Washington County, said authorities had described the damage from wind in southern Washington and Greene County as "devastation."
Keeling said crews were trying to clear as many lanes as possible to reach damaged areas.
Graybeal said downed power lines and trees felled by the storm made access difficult for emergency personnel.
A person was rescued this morning after the storm piled three mobile homes together on Fish Pond Road, Graybeal said. Another person had been rescued after being trapped in a house in Fall Branch in northern Washington County.
The hardest hit areas in Washington County appeared to be Cassi Road, Liberty Church Drive and Maple Swamp Road off Tenn. 107. Several houses and mobile homes were leveled or heavily damaged by the storm. Heavy damage also was reported in Fall Branch and the Blackley Creek-Glendale Road areas of Washington County.
A command post and an American Red Cross emergency shelter had been established at the Nolichucky Volunteer Fire Department.
There were unconfirmed reports of a second fatality in a field in southern Washington County, but the people who had been reported missing overnight had been accounted for this morning.
The storm damage forced Washington County schools to close because of road access in parts of the county, said Director of Schools Ron Dykes.
"We were warmed of heavy debris-laden travel routes being blocked by numerous trees," Dykes said.
He said the decision to cancel school for the day was made early and that the school system was in contact with law enforcement throughout the night.
In Southwest Virginia, NET News service reports that seven people were killed in the Glade Spring area of Washington County, Va.
Tim Estes, at official at the Washington Va. Emergency Operations Center, said as of 9 a.m. about 30 people had been taken to area hospitals. He said, "some of those injured have life-threatening injuries."
Estes said many local, regional and state responders have been assisting with search-and-rescue efforts through the night, and more help was on the way. He said there were "multiple events" in the Damascus, Glade Spring and Abingdon areas, including one near Glenrochie Country Club, which is in the Winterham community of Abingdon.
A shelter has been set up at Abingdon United Methodist Church, 101 E. Main St.
Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=89872#ixzz1KpTo3L1I
There were widespread reports of heavy storm damage, particularly in southern Washington and Greene counties.
Six people in the Camp Creek and Horse Creek communities of Greene County died when the high winds hit, and authorities expected that number to rise, said Heather Sipe, operations officer for Greene County Emergency Management.
The storms included two likely tornadoes that touched down in Camp Creek, but those reports could not yet be confirmed, Sipe said.
Greene authorities were awaiting confirmation on at least three more deaths, and more than 30 people had storm-related injuries in Greene, according to reports from local hospitals, Sipe said.
In Johnson County, Sheriff Mike Reece said at least two people were confirmed dead.
And in Washington County, at least one person was killed and some houses were leveled when a violent storm swept through the South Central Community in the southern part of the county overnight. Rescue personnel were trying to reach people injured or trapped by the storm.
The Associated Press reported that nearly 200 people died in the South from the storms. At least 9 people were confirmed dead in Bradley County, east of Chattanooga. In neighboring Hamilton County, 41-year-old Mai Crumley was killed Wednesday when a storm hurled a tree onto her mobile home.
Locally, Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal confirmed that one person died when a mobile home overturned on Guy Brown Road from what may have been a tornado. Guy Brown Road runs between Cassi Road and Liberty Church Drive off Tenn. Highway 107 near the Greene County line.
Washington County officials asked anyone who had not been able to reach relatives or friends in the South Central Community to call an emergency hot line at 257-2803. Jeff Keeling, communications director for Washington County, said authorities had described the damage from wind in southern Washington and Greene County as "devastation."
Keeling said crews were trying to clear as many lanes as possible to reach damaged areas.
Graybeal said downed power lines and trees felled by the storm made access difficult for emergency personnel.
A person was rescued this morning after the storm piled three mobile homes together on Fish Pond Road, Graybeal said. Another person had been rescued after being trapped in a house in Fall Branch in northern Washington County.
The hardest hit areas in Washington County appeared to be Cassi Road, Liberty Church Drive and Maple Swamp Road off Tenn. 107. Several houses and mobile homes were leveled or heavily damaged by the storm. Heavy damage also was reported in Fall Branch and the Blackley Creek-Glendale Road areas of Washington County.
A command post and an American Red Cross emergency shelter had been established at the Nolichucky Volunteer Fire Department.
There were unconfirmed reports of a second fatality in a field in southern Washington County, but the people who had been reported missing overnight had been accounted for this morning.
The storm damage forced Washington County schools to close because of road access in parts of the county, said Director of Schools Ron Dykes.
"We were warmed of heavy debris-laden travel routes being blocked by numerous trees," Dykes said.
He said the decision to cancel school for the day was made early and that the school system was in contact with law enforcement throughout the night.
In Southwest Virginia, NET News service reports that seven people were killed in the Glade Spring area of Washington County, Va.
Tim Estes, at official at the Washington Va. Emergency Operations Center, said as of 9 a.m. about 30 people had been taken to area hospitals. He said, "some of those injured have life-threatening injuries."
Estes said many local, regional and state responders have been assisting with search-and-rescue efforts through the night, and more help was on the way. He said there were "multiple events" in the Damascus, Glade Spring and Abingdon areas, including one near Glenrochie Country Club, which is in the Winterham community of Abingdon.
A shelter has been set up at Abingdon United Methodist Church, 101 E. Main St.
Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=89872#ixzz1KpTo3L1I