Twenty Hurt as EF-2 Tornado Hits McMinn County

The National Weather Service has confirmed that it was a tornado that struck Athens in McMinn county at 1:30 early this morning.

It was an EF-2 that carried winds of 111 to 135 miles per hour.

There were no fatalities reported in McMinn county, which is remarkable considering the amount of damage. But there were 20 injuries as scores of residents report narrow escapes from their homes in neighborhoods and on farm roads.

More than 30 structures are reported damaged or destroyed.

But near the center of town, White Street at Elizabeth Street, the Save-a-Lot and other businesses nearby were hit hard.

MAYOR JOHN GENTRY, MCMINN COUNTY  “As far as the injured, we do know at this point that out of the 20, 3 to 4 have been transported to other facilities with a higher level of trauma, but the rest have been released.”

Except for residents, non one is being allowed in the damaged neighborhoods tonight.

But the city and county are pulling together.

SHERIFF JOE GUY, MCMINN COUNTY  “The response last night and the cooperation,um I think, was phenomenal. We are extremely fortunate that we have not had a fatality at this point. Uh, that’s something that we are very blessed to be able to say, considering the massive amount of damage.”

But in all that destruction and fear, there was a bright spot.

MAYOR GENTRY  Some very good news came out of this today. Was in one of our hardest hit areas, one of our hardest hit homes, uh, a new child came into this world. So, uh, that, uh, a baby was born at a local hospital. That, that family’s house had been destroyed, and they made it to the hospital and gave birth this morning. We had twenty injured and a brand new life.”

baby born

A shelter for those displaced by the storm has been established at Keith Memorial United Methodist Church.

The national weather service says that tornado funnel was about 200 yards wide and that it left damage for more than 11 miles in McMinn county.