Two tornadoes touched down in eastern Tennessee on Thursday night, killing two people and causing widespread damage to rural communities outside Knoxville, the authorities said.
In Morgan County, Tenn., a mother and daughter were killed at home and three other people were injured when a tornado touched down about 8 p.m., according to local emergency management officials. The tornado also damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes, WVLT News reported.
The National Weather Service in Morristown, Tenn., confirmed that the tornado, which was rated an EF2, reached wind speeds of up to 135 miles per hour.
The second tornado, which hit Grainger County, Tenn., about 9:30 p.m., was rated an EF1 tornado with wind speeds of up to 110 m.p.h., according to the Weather Service. There were no deaths or reports of residential damage.