Columbia, Tennessee – Residents in parts of the South braced for more dangerous storms early Thursday, following a deadly outbreak a day earlier that saw tornadoes and hail wreak havoc, resulting in casualties in Tennessee and North Carolina.
The severe weather pattern, cutting across the country from the Plains to the Midwest and now affecting the southeastern U.S., has claimed at least four lives since the start of the week. Forecasters issued tornado warnings through the night in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Kentucky, with Arkansas and Mississippi also on high alert for possible tornadoes.
In northeastern Tennessee, a devastating storm brought strong winds that caused power outages and felled trees, tragically resulting in the death of a 22-year-old man. Meanwhile, in Maury County’s city of Columbia, a likely tornado touchdown claimed another life, with multiple other residents injured and homes damaged.
Amid the chaos, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed a ground stop at Nashville International Airport, while a tornado emergency was declared for areas south of Nashville, including Chapel Hill and Eagleville. Residents in flood-prone areas were urged not to travel unless fleeing imminent danger or under an evacuation order.
In North Carolina, a state of emergency was proclaimed for Gaston County after a powerful storm downed power lines and uprooted trees, one of which tragically fell on a car, resulting in a fatality. The region’s turmoil is part of a larger weather system that has unleashed havoc across the central United States, with tornadoes touching down in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana earlier in the week.
Michigan, especially Kalamazoo County, bore the brunt of the storm, leading Governor Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency for affected regions. The aftermath saw numerous homes destroyed, residents injured, and a FedEx facility torn apart, trapping multiple individuals inside.
The storm’s wrath extended to Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and West Virginia, with tornadoes confirmed in these areas as well. West Virginia, in particular, experienced its 11th tornado of the year, far exceeding the usual average of two tornadoes annually. As the country braces for more severe weather, communities across the nation remain on high alert for the next bout of destructive storms.