Tornadoes rip Tennessee, leaving at least 19 dead, many missing
Nashville: At least 19 people were killed early on Tuesday after powerful tornadoes ripped through Nashville and other parts of Tennessee, flattening buildings and leaving tens of thousands of people without power, authorities said.
The death toll, provided by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, may rise given the number of people who remain missing statewide, Governor William Lee said at a news briefing. Rescue teams were going door-to-door, searching damaged structures for trapped or injured individuals, the Nashville fire department said.
“At least 30 people were injured in Nashville, the state capital, and least 48 buildings were destroyed, with many more damaged,” the fire department director Chief William Swann said. Tennessee is one of 14 states that will be holding primary elections on Super Tuesday. Despite the widespread destruction, polling sites at schools and elsewhere will be open for voting unless otherwise noted, officials said. - Reuters