NASHVILLE (WDRB) -- As the sun rose Tuesday morning, the devastation was tough to see. Tornadoes killed at least 24 people across central Tennessee, leveling homes, schools and anything else in their path.
About 10 miles east of downtown Nashville, a school in Donelson is almost destroyed. The tornado that ran through that area touched down near downtown Nashville, meteorologists believe, just before 1 a.m. Tuesday. It's believed to be at least an EF-3 tornado, strong enough to flatten walls and scrape the bark off of trees.
The tornadoes were spawned by severe storms that stretched from Alabama into western Pennsylvania. Their paths were mostly north and east of the heart of downtown Nashville, sparing many of the city's biggest tourism draws: the honky tonks of Broadway, the Grand Ole Opry House, the storied Ryman Auditorium and the convention center.
In surrounding areas, cars ended up in pools, and homes were reduced to their foundations. And yet, you can go half a mile away, and there's virtually no damage.Â
“It is heartbreaking," said Gov. Bill Lee, who ordered nonessential state workers to stay home and then boarded a helicopter to survey the damage.
"We have had loss of life all across the state," he said.
Nashville Tornado Damage
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
Photo courtesy Marc Weinberg
 WDRB News has a crew on the ground in Nashville. This story will be updated.
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