TYLER 10 Nashville

Developing tonight?

More than twenty people are dead as powerful storms rip through tennessee.

The early morning tornadoes*sweeping through the nashville area.

These images were captured by a police department helicopter.

A state of emergency has been declared?

And shelters are open for victims. crews are busy reviewing the damage?

Working to get people back to their homes.

Tyler druin visits nashville tonight and files this report.

It absolute destruction, carnage, and chaos right here in downtown nashville.

We are on the cities east side you can see telephone polls in the middle of this residential street, snapped in two like a small twig.

This tornado took no hostages at all folks.

I tell you these downed power lines right in the middle of this residential street just one mile north of downtown nashville.

You can see the city in the background here.

This piece of wood came off of a man deck.

He said he was sitting on his deck and about 90 minutes later, this is what is left of his deck.

Emergency officials here in davidson county confirm that right now twenty five people have been killed over the course of four different counties.

It is the deadliest tornado to ever hit music city usa, antonio alford says the truck he lost was sentimental, his wife died a year ago, and this truck belong to her.?it devastating you know it not just me affected by it in my truck, i have family members and friends that have less houses, homes, you know what i saying, businesses so it really affecting us real har?

The national weather service says the the damage from the tornado was consistent to that of an ef3 ripping through four counties in middle tennessee.

According to emergency management officials on the ground, 48 structures collapsed during the tornado in downtown nashville alone.

Hopewell monroe missionary baptist church is a complete loss, members of the congregation sifting through rubble and debris, the steeple fallen over into the street.

Davidson county sheriff lived in henderson kentucky in 1987, while he worked at the jail.

Sheriff hall says the 500 bed correctional facility and the sheriffs administrative office building has been destroyed!

Our building is probably beyond repair wee got issues our roof has a big hole where this pole hi?

You can see power crews working diligently on your screen right now.

I going to guesstimate about 500 power crews working just within probably a ten block radius on the east side of nashville.

Tonight you can see law enforcement has the roadways blocked off there a heavy police presence of metropolitan officers lining the roadways here to stop prowlers and those trying to take advantage of the victims of this deadly tornado and country music singers in music city usa have pledged thousands of dollars to help these victims in need.

Reporting in nashville for you, tyler druin 44 news.

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