UPDATED: Memphis Area Damage Caused by Confirmed Tornado

Click the image above to see more pictures of tornado damage.

The following is a news release issued by the Emergency Management Agency:

Tornado Damage Update

Morning Report

Inspectors from the City of Memphis Code Enforcement and Shelby County Code Enforcement bureaus continue to assess tornado damage today.

About 60 inspectors gathered at the Shelby County Office of Preparedness Emergency Operations Center this morning. The inspectors then began a systematic survey of neighborhoods throughout Memphis and Shelby County to document damage.

The majority of damage was in the business district along Germantown Parkway near Interstate 40 and the nearby Countrywood subdivision. As many as 50 homes were damaged along Rockcreek Parkway. Most of the homes had roof damage and some storage sheds were destroyed.

Other damage was noted in the area near East High School and the Chickasaw Gardens area. Here’s an update about the response efforts:

Roads Closed

• Rockcreek Parkway between Countrywood Parkway and Kingsrow Parkway

• Tishamingo

• East bound lane of Walnut Grove near Eastview

Motorists are urged to use caution. Public Works crews are still removing tree limbs and storm debris.

Security

Memphis Police report no looting. Additional officers patrolled through the late night to help keep damaged businesses and homes secure.

Electricity

MLGW has made significant progress to get power to the damaged areas. Only 1,149 customers were without power as of this morning.

Other updates will be issued as new information becomes available.

Memphis Area Damage Caused by Confirmed Tornado

WESTMORELAND, Tenn. (AP) – The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado is the cause of damage in the Wolfchase area of Shelby County, east of Memphis.

Jim Branda, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Memphis, said Friday morning that an F-1 tornado that was 250 yards wide cut a five-mile swath of damage just south of Interstate 40.

The tornado hit just before 5:00 p.m. Thursday with winds between 80 and 90 miles per hour. There was also storm damage in the Midtown area of Memphis.

Severe storms also struck other parts of Tennessee and north Mississippi, bringing widespread damage, but no reported serious injuries.

Late Thursday night, storms pounded Sumner County, northeast of Nashville, damaging several homes, dropping trees that blocked roads and knocking out electricity to more than 2,500 customers.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)