HAZEL GREEN, Ala. — Preliminary results from National Weather Service teams shows the tornado that struck Madison County, Alabama and crossed into Lincoln County, Tennessee early Saturday morning was an EF-3 based on damage reports, with estimated peak winds of 160 mph. It traveled for just over 12 miles for approximately 16 minutes.
The Madison County coroner confirmed that one death has been associated with storms that spawned a tornado that crossed the Alabama-Tennessee state line overnight. Dr. Tyler Berryhill said 90-year-old Ovie Lasater was killed when the tornado struck her home on Borderline Rd.
FOX54 Radar indicated the tornado touched ground around 3 a.m. Saturday. The tornado crossed the state line and tracked south of New Hope, Tennessee, according to National Weather Service social media. Its strength and Enhanced Fujita Scale rating are pending further review of damage reports from the public.
Madison County Sheriff's deputies and various emergency crews are in the areas of U.S. Hwy. 231, Lincoln Rd., Mulberry Rd., and Borderline Rd., where there have been numerous reports of structural damage, downed trees, and fallen power lines.
County Commissioner Mac McCutcheon, in examining the area, said there were five confirmed injuries in the vicinity as of 7 a.m. Of those, three were serious enough to require transport to the hospital. The other two were treated on-scene.
Door-to-door searches were performed by sheriff's officials and trained volunteers for people in homes in the Hazel Green area.
For non-emergency storm damage reports in the affected area, you are asked to call 256-722-7181. NWS teams are continuing to gather storm data and may release updated findings as their investigation continues.
As the storm passed into southern-middle Tennessee, a Vanntown resident made preparations for the worst, having been through a similar situation before.
"We got in the storm house and we turned the radio on and we heard it," said the woman, who didn't want to be identified. "It's coming this way," she recalled.
The woman's family, including the pets, remained in their backyard storm shelter as they heard gusts of wind blow through her yard.
When it subsided, they were unable to get out of their shelter, which had become covered in downed tree limbs. First responders were able to free the family, who were thankful to find their home remained fairly intact.
The number of downed trees shrouded the home from nearby traffic. Neighbors were initially concerned they had lost everything, but still stopped by to help make tertiary repairs.
"Some people are helping put the tin on the house where it [blew] off," the woman said. "Some people brought us some lunch. That was good; it's real nice."
At the end of the day, the woman says she is thankful her family, animals, and home made it through the storm.
"You can bring trees back to you," she said. "You can't bring your life back. I hope this is the last time; I hope we don't have to go through this again."
GALLERY | April 1 Hazel Green, AL-TN Line Tornado
