Tragedy struck Morgan County as a tornado swept through the Deer Lodge, and Sunbright areas, claiming two lives and injuring others. According to the WVLT News, the severe storm erupted last night with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office confirming substantial damages to homes and infrastructures.

The tempest claimed the lives of a mother and daughter from the same family, a fact confirmed by Aaron Evans of the Morgan County Emergency Management. The same storm resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to three other individuals, said Evans, with no further fatalities anticipated. Sheriff Wayne Potter conveyed an urgent travel and weather alert via Facebook, urging the community to avoid the affected areas and heed evacuation orders. The damage also led to disruptions in power, phone, and internet services throughout Morgan County.

Emergency response has been substantial, with over 100 personnel deployed and the Tennessee Highway Patrol dispatching 30 troopers to Morgan County, as mentioned by Captain Stacey Heatherly of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, who spoke to WVLT News. A local staging area and an Emergency Operations Center have been established at Wartburg Central High School to coordinate the ongoing search and rescue missions.

In an unusual twist, the tempest's wrath momentarily interrupted daily life, as during a tornado warning, it forced a high school basketball game in Sunbright to a halt. Players and spectators sought shelter but, returned to finish the game after the danger abated, as reported by 10News Today. Evans has asked the community to remember the victims and those affected in their prayers and, to avoid the affected area until it is deemed safe.