EF-1 tornado causes in damage in parts of Henry County
HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. — One couple is recounting their close call with a tornado in Henry County.
Wednesday night, a tornado ripped through the county, leaving behind an unmistakable line of damage.
“We’ve had a tornado in Paris before, but nothing ever reached out here to us where we had a lot of damage. We’ve had trees torn up, but that’s the most of it that we’ve ever had before,” said resident Linda Mangrum. “There’s things across the road. Whole yard is messed up. Trees are down.”
Mangrum says she and her husband were in their house on Buchanan Road, and were about to enjoy dinner when she looked out her kitchen window.
“I kept seeing the dark, dark clouds, getting darker and getting closer,” she said. “Until finally I said, ‘Bud we’ve got to go to the basement.’ I took off to the basement. I didn’t wait for him. I grabbed a flashlight and went on.”
While in the basement, she looked out a small above ground window.
“I could see the tin flying from the tool shed. I knew our tool shed was gone,” Linda Mangrum said.
The tornado came as fast as it went. Her and Bud Mangrum went outside and surveyed the damage.
“A lot of shingles off. Our trim, vinyl trim is messed up. Gutters are gone. We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Linda Mangrum said.
Thankfully, neither her nor her husband were hurt.
The tornado crossed over Highway 79, and continued to cause damage along Sulphur Wells Academy Road.
The National Weather Service was in Henry County, surveying the aftermath. They said they’re happy that no one died.
“Main mission today is to document the damage, try to rate the intensity of the tornado, find the beginning, the ending point, the path, the width, the other statistics of the tornado,” said Gary Woodall, Warning Coordinator Meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “Whenever there’s no, or there’s minimal human impact, that definitely makes things easier. I think it speaks to the warning system.”
Meanwhile, the Mangrums might have some clean up to do, but they’re thankful.
“I’m just glad that it didn’t damage our house anymore than it did, and that we’re both okay, and that all these other people are alright,” Linda Mangrum said.
Video from Sulphur Wells Academy Road shows a glimpse of the tornado.
“In the case of Henry County yesterday, there were eyewitness photographs of the tornado, so we know what it was,” Woodall said.
According to the Henry County EMA Director Ron Watkins, around 26 homes suffered some sort of damage, as well as three mobile homes.
The bulk of the damage occurred near Sulphur Wells Academy Road. The Lakeway Auto Sales building completely collapsed, damaging all the cars still inside.
“So far we have seen some structural damage, a lot of tree damage, especially in the areas south of the highway here,” Woodall said.
According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, the current information indicates the tornado was an EF-1, that went about six to seven miles.
