Tornado in Tennessee claims lives, leaves community in ruins
During the first deadly tornado of the year in the USA, which struck eastern Tennessee, two people were killed. The victims were a mother and her daughter. The storm also caused significant material damage.
The first tornado of the year in the USA swept through Morgan County, a small community in eastern Tennessee, where two people - a mother and daughter - were killed. The storm also injured several other people and damaged several buildings, reported the local emergency management and homeland security office on Friday afternoon.
The tornado was classified as an EF2 on the Fujita scale (which assesses tornadoes based on their strength and damage caused - ed.). This classification means that the wind speed reached 217 km/h, resulting in "severe property damage".
The research team from the National Weather Service determined that the tornado's strength was just 2 km/h below the threshold required for an EF3 classification, which is when very severe damage occurs.
Authorities deployed over 100 rescuers, including dozens from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, to assist in the search for missing people and to provide support to those affected.
"That is our mission, to make sure we can help", emphasized the head of the state patrol.
