By Paul Leach and Shelly Bradbury
Chattanooga Times/Free Press
WEST POLK COUNTY, Tenn. — At least five people have been killed by the storms in Tennessee and Alabama, authorities said.
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Dean Flener says a husband and wife died and two others were injured in Polk County. He said at least seven injuries were reported in nearby McMinn County. He didn’t have further details on what happened.
Three people were killed in a mobile home in Rosalie in northeast Alabama, said Jackson County EMA Director Mike Ashburn. Three other people were taken to the hospital with injuries, he said.
The National Weather Service at Morristown is sending teams to investigate three possible overnight tornadoes in the Tennessee Valley.
The possible tornadoes were reported in McMinn County, Sequatchie County and Polk County, meteorologist Sam Roberts said. The teams will work to confirm whether tornadoes actually touched down.
West Polk County Volunteer Fire and Rescue said today the Ocoee area was hit by a “devastating tornado.”
Earlier this morning, the organization’s Facebook page reported Hwy 411 south of Hwy 64 had been shut down and said the Polk County High School had opened as a shelter.
Polk County Emergency Management Agency confirmed early morning storms destroyed a fire station and damaged several other structures.
Members of the Chattanooga Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team have been called to help in Athens, Tenn., after severe storm damage, said Bruce Garner, spokesman for the Chattanooga Fire Department.
He could not say for sure what conditions the team will face, but said he believes a grocery store suffered structural damage, as well as some homes. The team specializes in rescuing trapped people from debris.
The worst of the severe weather should be over in the Chattanooga area, Roberts said.
Hamilton, Bradley and McMinn counties are currently under a flash flood watch and heavy rain is expected to continue this morning, he said.
Garner said multiple roads have standing water this morning, and flash flooding has been reported. He urged drivers to be careful.
The flash flood warning stands until 11:30 a.m. today.
Polk County Fire station completely destroyed from tornados. 2 people died in area behind the building. Active storm. Stay tuned @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/JWJnudejMt
— Mariana_Atencio (@marianaatencio) November 30, 2016