One of the tornadoes that ripped through Middle Tennessee early Tuesday was a “violent” monster that left at least 18 dead in one county, according to officials.
The National Weather Service office in Nashville said Wednesday night the twister that struck Putnam County was an EF-4 tornado with wind up to 175 mph that killed 18 people and injured 88 in that county. Overall, the tornadoes and severe weather are blamed for 24 deaths in the region.
Forecasters said that the Putnam County twister was the first violent tornado in the Middle Tennessee area since April 2009, and the path and width of the storm are expected to be determined in the coming days.