Early morning Tuesday (March 3), Tennessee was hit by deadly tornadoes.
The Weather Channel reported that “one or more tornados” touched down in middle Tennessee early Tuesday (March 3) morning.One of those tornadoes struck the Nashville metro area.
Unfortunately, news quickly spread that these tornadoes not only destroyed buildings, structures, and homes, but were also deadly. At 8:23 AM Eastern Time, Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Governor Bill Lee confirmed there were eight total deaths.
Sadly, The Tennessean is now reporting that the death toll has risen to 19.
Over 20,000 people are still without power, but earlier this morning that number was over 50,000. While the number of buildings collapsed stayed around 48, there are so many more that were damaged. Many of the collapsed structures were apartment complexes, leaving so many residents now homeless.
Hundreds of people in downtown Nashville are homeless this morning after a tornado slammed into our city. Many of these people are from apartment complexes that were destroyed pic.twitter.com/HGu4NBLsr9
— Chris Conte (@chrisconte) March 3, 2020
If you’d like to help those who were affected by the tornado, there are a few different ways you can help.
The Community Resource Center posted on their official Facebook group that there are certain items needed including trash bags, paper towels, work gloves, cleaning supplies, bleach box cutters, personal hygiene items, baby diapers, and more.
If you’d like to volunteer your time, you can sign up here.
https://www.facebook.com/CRCNashville/posts/10156532004226442
The CRC is asking that you donate funds to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee here.
You can also donate to The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties by texting RELIEF2020 to 41444 or by clicking here.
The Martha O’Bryan Center will be open with limited services, including the food bank, today (March 3) until 2pm. The Tennessean says they will also provide a free shuttle for neighborhood residents to and from the Cleveland Park polling location. For more information, call the Martha O’Bryan Center at 615- 254-1791.
According to a tweet from Kennedy Fitzsimmons, the YMCA in East Nashville is open to everyone, even if you don’t have a membership. You can shower, charge your phone, and get food there.
YMCA East Nashville is open with food, showers, power to charge phones, etc. You don’t need a membership to go today, if you or anyone you know needs a place to go in East Nashville, you are welcome there.
— Kennedy Scott (@kennedy_scottx) March 3, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the tornado.