View of tornado damage from Jimmy Duncan's window
photo by AccuWeather
James Duncan, 27, had just eased into bed late on Monday night when a smartphone notification from AccuWeather alerted him and his girlfriend, Britni, of a life-threatening tornado that was fast approaching.
This vital information was the first warning that they received about the confirmed tornado that was tracking toward their location in Germantown, located just north of downtown Nashville.
A series of tornadoes ripped through Nashville and the surrounding area during the overnight and early-morning hours Monday into Tuesday. At least one of the tornadoes reached EF3 strength, the National Weather Service said, meaning wind speeds were at least 136 mph.
The couple narrowly escaped disaster, but the danger had not come to an end once the tornado had passed.
“As we were surveying the damage from the fourth-floor balcony, the smell of gas seeped our nostrils,” Mr. Duncan said, adding that the tornado caused a gas leak. First responders arrived on the scene and came up to evacuate him and his girlfriend.
“We grabbed what was necessary and bailed. Downed power lines were everywhere and first responders blocked off most of the streets. We had to walk roughly a mile through the debris and wreckage till we could get to a zone where a friend could pick us up to take us somewhere to stay.”
“There were buildings torn down … roofs missing … debris strewn across the road and hanging from what power lines that were still standing,” he added.