2 Dead, 3 Injured After Possible Tornado Rips Through Parts of Tennessee ArticlePure

Authorities in Tennessee said a “possible tornado” from the evening of Thursday, Feb. 6, claimed the lives of a mother and daughter and injured three others while also causing significant damage.  

In a Friday, Feb. 7 Facebook post, the Morgan County, Tennessee Emergency Management and Homeland Security stated the weather event occurred in the Deer Lodge and Sunbright areas of Morgan County, located in the north-central part of the state. 

“As of our latest update, we regret to confirm that 2 fatalities have occurred as a result of this event, 2 females; a mother and daughter from the same household,” read the department’s statement. “Additionally, 3 injuries have been reported.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragic event. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available,” added the department.

Morgan County Sheriff Wayne Potter shared an advisory about the situation in a Facebook post on Thursday evening, writing it had “caused significant damage and injury in the Deer Lodge area and Highway 27, Sunbright area of Morgan County.”

In an interview with NBC affiliate WBIR, Morgan County Management public information officer Aaron Evans said a combination of homes, businesses and structures were affected by the possible tornado, saying: “I think with the nature of the tornado in the area that’s scattered about, we have seen all of those from this event last evening.”

Evans also told the news station that authorities believe they are confident that there should be no further fatalities from the event at the current moment. 

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In an update from Thursday evening, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said that it dispatched a strike team of nearly 30 troopers to Morgan County, CBS affiliate WVLT reported. 

And in a follow-up Facebook update Friday morning, Tennessee Highway Patrol Capt. Stacey Heatherly that troopers have remained on-site working with local and state officials “in helping them assess the damage.”

Heatherly also added that authorities will later set up checkpoints to make sure the area is secured and that no one is in danger. 

“We are possibly going to activate one of our aviation units to help assist [with] the damage today,” Heatherly noted in the update. 

Morgan County School District had earlier announced school closures for Friday “due to significant damage from tornadoes in parts of our county,” according to the Associated Press.

As reported by CBS News, the National Weather Service (NWS) is sending over a team to figure out if the weather event reached tornado status. 

Morgan County Sheriff Potter earlier said in his advisory that people “avoid travel to the Deer Lodge area and Highway 27, Sunbright area until further notice” and to “stay away from downed power lines, fallen trees, and damaged structures.”

PEOPLE contacted the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 7 for further information.