At least two tornadoes hit central Tennessee early Tuesday morning, including one that left a trail of destruction through downtown Nashville and all the way to Mt. Juliet, about 20 miles east of the city. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed that 7 people were killed in the storm, and the Nashville Fie Department said at least 40 structures collapsed. There are downed power lines and power outages, and Nashville public schools were closed, though schools used as polling places are expected to remain open for Super Tuesday voting.
Nashville's smaller airport, John C. Tune Airport, said it "sustained significant damage." The extent of the wreckage in the rest of the area won't be known until daylight, emergency response officials said. News Channel 5's Matthew Torres surveyed the destruction at Basement East, a music venue.
"Nashville is hurting, and our community has been devastated," Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted. "Be sure to lend a helping hand to a neighbor in need, and let's come together as a community once more."
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