NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Communities across East Tennessee are cleaning up today after storms destroyed several homes and at least one business.
Media are citing the weather service in reporting that an EF-3 tornado with wind speeds of 140 mph touched down last night in the small town of Speedwell.
Authorities say there are no reports of any deaths or injuries, but Claiborne County emergency management spokeswoman Gina Breeding says local residents have quite a mess to clean up.
“As of last night we had a total of 10 homes destroyed with other affected. We have teams out currently doing damage assessments. There were power lines and trees down. One local family grocery store was destroyed. All of this damage occurred in the Speedwell area on Old Highway 63.”
Sullivan County Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Bean tells the Kingsport Times-News that four homes there were severely damaged there.
Dean Flener of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency in Nashville says at least seven counties were roughed up.