Kuwait Times

String of tornadoes kill 25 in Tennessee

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NASHVILLE: A string of tornadoes tore through Nashville, Tennessee, and surroundin­g counties early on Tuesday, killing at least 25 people, leaving others missing and reducing neighborho­ods to rubble as voters across the state cast ballots in the Super Tuesday presidenti­al primary. Governor William Lee told an afternoon news conference the death toll was expected to rise as search-and-rescue crews combed through collapsed buildings and rubble for missing people some 15 hours after the storms hit around 1 am CST.

“Its a tragic day in our state, a sad day. There are 25 confirmed fatalities,” the governor said. “I spent the day touring and visiting with victims and walking through neighborho­ods and the devastatio­n is heartbreak­ing. It’s incredible. Prayers are greatly needed.” Lee declined to estimate how many people remained unaccounte­d for in the state. Nineteen of the 25 fatalities were from Putnam County, east of Nashville.

The National Weather Service said eight tornadoes were believed to have touched down in Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky, but that number could change following further analysis. It was not yet clear how many landed a direct hit on Nashville. In addition to the fatalities, at least 30 people were injured. Some 48 buildings were destroyed in Nashville, with many more damaged, Fire Department Director Chief William Swann said. Tens of thousands of people were left without power.

“Severe weather and tornados have impacted several counties in Tennessee. Counties with the greatest impacts include Davidson, Wilson, and Putnam Counties,” the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said on its website. The storm struck as many were sleeping in Nashville, home to 691,000 people and one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

“Prayers for all of those affected by the devastatin­g tornadoes in Tennessee. We will continue to monitor the developmen­ts. The Federal Government is with you all of the way during this difficult time,” President Donald Trump said on Twitter. The White House said Trump would visit the devastated areas on Friday. Polls stay open late

Pictures and video posted on Twitter showed lightning illuminati­ng the dark sky as the twisters roared through the country music capital, and daybreak revealed dozens of leveled houses and businesses. Tennessee is one 14 US states holding presidenti­al nominating elections on Super Tuesday and despite the destructio­n, polling sites were mostly open for voting, officials said, although some had to be moved.

A Davidson County Superior Court judge, ruling on an emergency request by four of the top Democratic primary candidates, extended voting by an hour at polls there and ruled that five sites remain open until 10 pm. Crushed vehicles, piles of debris and broken power lines littered streets blocked by rescue vehicles. Residents carried away belongings from ravaged homes.

 ?? —AFP ?? TENNESSEE: A home is shown destroyed by high winds from one of several tornadoes that tore through the state overnight in Cookeville, Tennessee.
—AFP TENNESSEE: A home is shown destroyed by high winds from one of several tornadoes that tore through the state overnight in Cookeville, Tennessee.

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