At least three killed in Tennessee during tornado outbreak
At least three people have been reported dead after severe storms ripped through Tennessee amid a severe weather outbreak on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Authorities assessing storm damage in Tennessee on April 3, 2025. Image credit: THP
At least three people were reported dead due to severe thunderstorms in Tennessee. A Level 3 State of Emergency remains in effect as severe weather continues to impact the state. Major damage has been reported in Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) reported two fatalities on Thursday morning, April 3. One fatality was reported in Obion County, while the other was confirmed in McNairy County.
The third death occurred due to a tornado that touched down approximately 8 km (5 miles) SW of La Grange in Fayette County, where it injured 4 people and destroyed a mobile home on Sweet Road.
As of 04:00 local time (LT) on Thursday, more than 15 000 power outages were reported across the state. Over 6 200 reported outages in Shelby County, 2 500 in Montgomery County, and 1 600 in Robertson County.
Much of central and western Tennessee continues to experience severe weather conditions, which are expected to last through the week. Rainfall totals through Sunday, April 6, are forecast to be up to 380 mm (15 inches) for much of West Tennessee, with some areas possibly receiving more.
The National Weather Service (NWS) continues to issue Tornado Warnings and Flash Flood Warnings in West and Middle Tennessee. Parts of the state, including Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville, are forecast to see thunderstorms and showers through Thursday, April 3, with 25 to 75 mm (1 to 3 inches) of rain expected through the day.
A strike team from the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) was deployed to McNairy County to support local officials. Meanwhile, crews continue to clear debris and assess damages across the state.
References:
1 Flash Report #1 Severe Weather and Flooding – TEMA – April 3, 2025
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
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