Tennessee Governor Bill HaslamFAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. – Gov. Bill Haslam planned to survey the devastation wrought by a deadly tornado in Lincoln County today.
Monday night’s tornado started near the Alabama line and cut a path to the northeastern corner of the county, leaving two dead and at least 25 homes and one elementary school destroyed.
“It was very chaotic for several hours,” Lincoln County Sherriff Murray Blackwelder said. “By the grace of God, we were able to get by with only two fatalities out of this mass destruction.”
The National Weather Service has not yet made a final call on the on the strength of the tornado, but set a preliminary rating of EF-3 with winds between 136 mph and 165 mph.
Haslam was scheduled to view the damage both from a helicopter and on the ground this morning.