KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tornado Warnings were issued for swaths of East Tennessee Thursday night as a line of storms moved through the region, bringing some storm cells that the National Weather Service could have had rotation. The storms damaged a Fountain City church and areas of Deer Lodge but left the region by midnight.
One of the first areas hit by the storms was Morgan County. The county executive, Brian Langley, said he was surveying the area at around 9:35 p.m. and reported the Deer Lodge area had been impacted. Reports said authorities were working to reach people in their homes Thursday night.
At least 900 customers lost power in Morgan County Thursday evening. The Morgan County Emergency Management Agency said a possible tornado had caused “significant damage and injury” in the Deer Lodge area, as well as the Highway 27 and Sunbright areas.
They urged people not to travel to Deer Lodge and Highway 27 in Sunbright until further notice. They also said first responders were assessing the situation and needed to clear paths to do so.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said troopers were helping deputies and emergency crews near Deer Lodge, surveying damage and searching for any victims after a possible tornado. THP said it sent a team of around 30 troopers to the area.
“Just know that we are on scene and we are assisting, and we would appreciate it if people stayed away from the area at this time,” said Captain Stacey Heatherly in a post on social media.
Sheriff Wayne Potter said the Wartburg Central High School was a designated safe shelter for anyone who needs resources, or a safe place to sleep, after the storms. It was also being used as a staging area for responding agencies.
Morgan County Today, a news outlet in the county, also said the Tornado Warning there interrupted a high school basketball game in Sunbright. Players and audience members took shelter briefly before returning to the game after the storm passed.
The storm continued moving through the region and several warnings were issued by the National Weather Service. A storm cell developed rotation and brought damaging winds south of Knoxville as well, bringing a Tornado Warning southward. The warning also kept some people at Food City Center for a Lady Vols game from leaving.
A tree also fell on a church in the Fountain City community. No injuries were reported in that incident. A church leader said a group was hosting a Bible study session in its basement Thursday night when a storm hit, and emerged after it ended to find a tree had fallen on the building.
“Not too awful bad, could have been worse,” he said.
Reports from across the region said the storms brought down trees and power lines. This story will be updated as more specific information about storm damage is made available.
