A suspected tornado event on Thursday night resulted in the tragic deaths of two individuals in a small East Tennessee community, as reported by the local emergency management agency. The severe weather swept through Morgan County under the cover of darkness, claiming the lives of a mother and daughter in the same residence, as announced by the county Emergency Management & Homeland Security office on Friday. Although specific details such as ages were not disclosed, the office did confirm three other individuals sustained injuries during the event.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones affected by this tragic event,” expressed the agency. The suspected tornado struck the communities of Deer Lodge and Sunbright around 8:27 p.m., causing significant property damage, according to the county authorities. The emergency response efforts in the area involved over 100 responders, including members from a Tennessee Highway Patrol “strike team.”
State Highway Patrol Capt. Stacey Heatherly shared, “We look for any missing persons and provide assistance in any way we can.” As of 7:30 a.m. Friday, approximately 8% of Morgan County remained without power, as indicated by the tracking website PowerOutage.us. The situation is still developing, and updates will be forthcoming.