Two children are among six people who died after a powerful tornado struck Tennessee on Saturday – as New York City braces for a rare powerful storm with gusts of up to 60 miles per hour.
Over two dozen people were hospitalized after homes and businesses were damaged in several cities. Hail the size of city neighborhoods rained down while trees were uprooted and power lines were downed in the deadly hurricanes.
Three people, including a child, died after a tornado struck Montgomery County north of Nashville near the Kentucky state line.
Several communities have reported injuries and roofs ripped off from homes – and in Tennessee, 45,000 people were still without power as of Sunday morning.
The Nashville Emergency Operation Center said three more people were killed by severe storms in a downtown neighborhood. Meanwhile, another 23 people were treated for injuries at hospitals in Montgomery County.
A home in Clarksville is hit by the relentless, powerful tornadoes that hit the area
The roofs of homes were blown off, scattering debris across a residential street in Clarksville, Tennessee. Over two dozen people were hospitalized after homes and businesses were damaged in several cities.
A semi-trailer is overturned by a tornado on West Main Street in Hendersonville, Tennessee
Multiple tornadoes touched down in Middle Tennessee, causing catastrophic structural damage and fatalities in several areas
Photos posted on social media showed damaged homes with debris strewn across the lawn, a tractor-trailer overturned on the highway and insulation torn from building walls.
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts said in a statement: “This is devastating news and our hearts are broken for the families of those who lost loved ones.”
“The city is ready to help them in their grief.”
Following the horrific events, a state of emergency was declared in Clarksville.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department identified the victims killed downtown as Joseph Dalton, 37, Floridema Gabriel Perez, 31, and their son Anthony Elmer Mendez, 2.
Dalton was in his RV when the storm threw it onto the roof of Perez's home. Two other children, one from each home, were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the department said in a statement.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that a tornado touched down around 2 p.m. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school.
Residents were asked to stay home while first responders assessed the situation. In a briefing shared on social media, Pitts said there was significant damage.
Damage from the terrible tornadoes in Springfield, Tennessee
Three people, including a child, died after a tornado struck Montgomery County north of Nashville near the Kentucky state line
A car is buried under debris on Main Street after an apparent tornado struck Hendersonville
Photos posted on social media showed damaged homes with debris strewn across the lawn, a tractor-trailer overturned on the highway and insulation torn from building walls
A car is buried under debris on Main Street after a tornado struck Hendersonville
“So if you need help, please call 911 and help will be on the way immediately.” But if you can, please stay home. Don't go out on the streets. “Our first responders need time and space,” he said.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said he and his wife Maria are praying for all Tennesseans affected by the storms.
“We mourn the lives lost and ask everyone to continue to follow the guidance of local and state officials,” Lee said in a statement.
Shanika Washington said that as soon as she heard the storm sirens in her Clarksville neighborhood, she took her children, ages 5 and 10, to a windowless bathroom in the basement of their townhouse.
“The lights were flickering, so I knew it was somewhere nearby,” she said. “I just kept praying to God through it all. It was very frightening and frightening.'
During her harrowing 20 minutes on the toilet, Washington hovered over her children like a protective shield.
Downed power lines can be seen in Clarksville
A business destroyed by a tornado on West Main in Hendersonville, Tennessee
“The back door actually flew open and you could just hear a little bit of wind,” she said. “The blinds and all that stuff were shaking really bad.”
“I realized we were in the middle of a storm.”
When she came out of the bathroom, she looked out the window and saw that debris had been washed onto cars with broken windows, shutters ripped out of houses and some roofs of townhouses.
Because the power was out in the area, Washington took her children to a hotel for the night.
“I'm still a little shaken up, so I probably won't get much sleep tonight,” Washington said. “I’m still trying to process everything somehow.”
Allie Phillips, who lives in Clarksville, said she was eating lunch when she received news that a tornado was quickly approaching her neighborhood.
A damaged car sits next to destroyed homes in the West Creek Farms neighborhood on Sunday
Greg Chance hugs his cat the day after a tornado struck Madison, Tennessee
The interior of a home that was hit hard by the tornadoes in Clarksville. The city declared a state of emergency on Saturday
“It was unbearable watching the livestream and not knowing if my house was still there,” she said.
“When we finally decided to leave, the road to my house was closed because there were so many power lines on the road and we had to take a detour.”
Phillips said her home survived with minimal damage – she noted that her daughter's toys were smashed and that a neighbor's dog kennel hit the back of her house – but she was saddened to see her house Neighbors had a roof missing and a house further up was almost completely gone.
The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings in Tennessee and said it planned to investigate an area where an apparent tornado struck in Kentucky.
The storm came almost two years to the day after the National Weather Service recorded 41 tornadoes in a handful of states, including 16 in Tennessee and eight in Kentucky. A total of 81 people died in Kentucky alone.
The tornado devastated a backyard in Tennessee
A downed light pole and damaged homes following a possible tornado in Clarksville
Meanwhile, the northeast storm will strengthen and expand, with the wettest and windiest weather felt Sunday into Monday, before falling temperatures could turn precipitation into snow.
Howling winds could topple trees, disrupt flights and cause power outages as they blow across New England on Sunday.
The storm is expected to reach maximum strength in the afternoon as it engulfs much of the East, with gusts increasing significantly compared to Saturday where storms will be more concentrated to the south.
Winds could reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour across New England and coastal New York and New Jersey on Sunday night.
The public has been warned to secure all outdoor Christmas decorations while air travelers face delays or cancellations.
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, making driving difficult, especially for drivers of high-profile vehicles,” the National Weather Service said.
“Branches could be knocked down and some power outages could occur.” Take extra care when driving, especially if you are operating a high-profile vehicle.
Almost all eastern parts of the U.S. will be hit by heavy rain, with some areas getting up to three inches drenched.
Forecasters warned that flash flooding was likely and parts along the east coast were expected to be drenched by at least an inch of rain.