Deadly tornadoes in middle Tennessee, water rescues near Nashville

One person died as three tornadoes touched down in middle Tennessee on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service confirmed around 6:00 p.m. that a 'large and destructive tornado' was located seven miles southeast of Spring Hill and 12 miles east of Columbia. Maury County officials confirmed that one person died in the storm that ripped apart several homes. Emergency crews had to rescue trapped residents, and at least five other people were injured.

A second tornado was located in Giles County southeast of Pulaski and a third tornado was confirmed in Lincoln County southwest of Fayetteville.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop at Nashville’s main airport, and the weather service issued a tornado emergency, its highest alert level, for nearby areas.

Thunderstorms with torrential rains led to a flash flood emergency and water rescues northeast of Nashville. Flash flooding stranded residents in Hendersonville and Gallatin.

A storm in northeastern Tennessee damaged homes, injured people, toppled power lines and trees, and killed a 22-year-old man in a car in Claiborne County, north of Knoxville.

The National Weather Service has issued tornado watches Thursday for parts of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. An enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms with very large hail was forecast for parts of eastern Texas.

Storms have left more than a quarter-million customers without power Thursday in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Missouri.



A utility crew begins to sort out damage caused by a deadly tornado near Columbia, TN on Wednesday.  (AP Photo George Walker IV)