TENNESSEE/VIRGINIA (WJHL) — April 27, 2023 marks 12 years since deadly tornadoes swept throughout the Tri-Cities region, spanning from Greene County, Tennessee to Glade Spring, Virginia.
The tornado outbreak began in the early morning of April 27, 2011, with severe thunderstorms moving across middle Tennessee and northern Alabama. The storms continued that evening in East Tennessee before weakening in central East Tennessee.
Six people were killed when an EF-3 tornado tore through the Camp Creek community while 33 people were injured. About an hour and a half later, another EF-3 tornado touched down in the Horse Creek community, resulting in two fatalities.
Glade Spring, Virginia was also hit by an EF-3 tornado, which resulted in three deaths and 50 injuries. On that night, residents took shelter at a local truck stop.
In Johnson County, two people died due when an EF-2 tornado touched down that day.
Although this type of tornado outbreak is rare, severe weather can be expected every spring season. Having a tornado action plan is critical in those scenarios.
