Massive Damage Left In Wake of Tennessee Tornadoes

An outbreak of severe weather left a wake of devastation in Tennessee on March 4, 2020, causing widespread damage around the Nashville metro area—including significant damage at John C. Tune Airport (KJWN). The airport is closed to the public until further notice, according to the airport website. “Many hangars and aircraft have been destroyed, and power lines are down,” the page noted. The Airport Authority has activated an emergency response center to manage the assessment and immediate needs.

Video shared on social media showed collapsed hangars and piles of aircraft tumbled together, creating a stunning scene. Local news outlet WKRN reported that airport officials estimated damage to be in the millions of dollars—clearly many millions, judging by the scale of the damage left in the tornado’s wake. Damaged aircraft have also been reported at Lebanon Municipal Airport (M54). But the human toll has been much greater, with 22 people killed during the tragic night as of press time, with many more unaccounted for. The storm’s strength has been classified as EF-3.