Tornado likely most costly in county history
As Warren County residents continue the clean up from what was not only the largest, but also likely the most costly tornado in county history, meteorologists have revealed the scope of the twister that plowed through the middle of the Nursery Capitol, leveling parts of a densely populated subdivision.
According to reports from the National Weather Service, the tornado which hit Warren County just before 2 p.m. Friday had a width of 250 yards and packed winds of around 110 mph, making it a high EF1 twister (EF1 standing for Enhanced Fujita scale). That’s basically the same strength as the two killer twisters which hit Green Hill and Morrison, and claimed three lives in 2006. While not being the strongest tornado to ever hit Warren County, Friday’s storm was the most extensive as experts say the tornado stayed on the ground for 15 miles, first touching down 11 miles west of McMinnville near Centertown before lifting up five miles northeast of McMinnville just past Faulkner Springs.
Prior to Friday, the longest lasting tornado was also the county’s strongest when an F3 twister (160 mph winds) hit the county back in 1961 and stayed on the ground for nine miles. The April 3, 1974 twister which claimed the life of a motorist also stayed on the ground for nine miles.
According to Warren County Emergency Management director Percy Phifer, the latest estimates reveal there were 60 homes damaged in the county with at least seven of those being total losses. The greatest concentration of damage, Phifer noted, was located in the Candlewood subdivision in the C. Rody Road and Beacon Drive areas, although other structures were also damaged in Bethany and various other areas. Phifer said it is unclear if the county will be declared a disaster area, leading to federal assistance.
According to Danny Sutton, director of operations at Caney Fork Electric, there were 2,400 customers without power immediately after the storm, most of whom were restored by 2 a.m. the following morning.
‘There was a relatively narrow path starting at the Cannon County line and running over to the Faulkner Springs area,’ Sutton said, noting there were 12 utility poles broken by the tornado.
Kathy Nesmith of the Warren County Red Cross said the Red Cross has been actively working the disaster zone since minutes after the strike.
‘We went door to door trying to help and see what needs were with things such as clothing, food and lodging,’ said Nesmith, noting the Red Cross fed about 1,200 people over the weekend, many of those being emergency crews and officers who were providing security and traffic control for the heavily damaged Candlewood area. ‘There’s a lot more damage there than people realize.’
Beacon Drive resident Janet Holcomb agreed with Nesmith’s assessment, noting she is beginning to find cracks in her home. While joining many of her neighbors in trying to fix the damage, Holcomb said the neighborhood came together as a team to clean up the widespread mess.
‘The residents over here got together and went around, yard by yard, and cleaned up the trees and debris, and kept going until it was all cleaned up,’ Holcomb said, noting most resident are still in shock by the devastation left by the storm. ‘There are so many volunteers and folks like the Red Cross which came and helped to thank. It was really amazing to see.’
According to Levie Glenn of the Warren County Highway Department, more than 45 truck loads of brush debris has been trucked out of the neighborhood not counting brush which was chipped on-site. The highway department worked through the weekend, even all day Sunday.
‘We’re just so glad no one was hurt and we’re doing what we can to help clean up the areas and help residents get back to a little bit of normal life,’ Glenn said, noting that after clearing the many roads blocked by trees the road department turned to helping clean up the devastated areas. ‘We may have two or three more weeks to go but we’re going to keep at it until it’s done.’