Deadly Tornado Tears Through Tennessee County, Claiming Two Lives and Injuring Three Others
A devastating tornado swept through Morgan County, Tennessee, on Thursday night, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of a mother and daughter. The storm, part of a larger winter weather system, struck the small communities of Deer Lodge and Sunbright at approximately 8:27 p.m.
The victims have been identified as Wendy Smith, 45, and her daughter, Felicia Williams, 22, who were in the same home when the storm hit. Wendy’s husband, Smith, remembered his wife and stepdaughter as inseparable in both life and death.
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More than 100 emergency responders have been deployed across Morgan County to assist with search and rescue operations. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has dispatched a specialized strike team to aid in locating any missing persons and assessing the damage.
As daylight broke on Friday morning, damage assessments began in the hardest-hit areas. Aaron Evans, spokesperson for the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency, said teams are working to determine the full extent of destruction.
Approximately 8% of Morgan County remained without power as of 9:45 a.m. Friday, according to (link unavailable) The storm also disrupted phone and internet services, and officials have urged residents to avoid affected areas.
The National Weather Service is expected to send a team to Deer Lodge on Friday to confirm whether the destruction was caused by a tornado. If verified, this would mark the first deadly tornado event of 2025.
Thursday night’s storm struck more than two hours after sunset, increasing the danger of tornadoes. A 2022 study found that tornadoes occurring at night are twice as likely to be deadly as those during the daytime due to reduced visibility and the difficulty in taking shelter.
Morgan County has experienced multiple tornadoes since 1965, including a devastating F3 twister in 2002 that killed seven people. Tennessee typically averages three tornadoes in February, a number lower than the peak tornado months of April and May. However, February tornadoes have
become increasingly frequent, with 45 recorded across the United States last year alone.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as emergency crews work to provide aid to those affected.
