NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Sirens screamed. Emergency weather alerts buzzed cellphones. News crews pleaded with people to seek cover.
In the aftermath of the massive tornadoes that ripped through Tennessee early Tuesday morning, emergency officials say they believe the systems in place to warn people worked properly. But they noted that they have no way of knowing how many people received a heads-up before the storm struck with deadly ferocity.
No reports have emerged of systems failing to get information to people in the storm’s path as quickly as possible. The first tornado began its more than 50-mile (80-kilometer) trail of destruction well after midnight, when most people were in bed. After the second tornado exploded through communities further east of Nashville, 24 people were dead and many more injured.
“When the phone alert went off, it just buzzed. I saw it because I was awake but had I been asleep? I likely would have missed it,” said Angela Lese Gregory, a former meteorologist with the National Weather Service who lives in a neighborhood a few miles from downtown Nashville.
Gregory, now a full-time musician, said she spent all night Tuesday watching the weather and posting warnings on Facebook urging people to prepare for the worst.