KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A strong line of storms swept across East Tennessee Thursday night, snapping trees and knocking out power for thousands of people.
In Sevierville, Main Street from Court to Highway 66 is closed in both directions until debris can be removed. Police are on scene to direct traffic.
More than 56,000 Knoxville Utilities Board customers lost power.
In South Knoxville, a billboard came down across Chapman Highway and the roof was blown off Carl Ownby and Company.
A power line came down on Sevier Avenue near the intersection with Dixie Street in South Knoxville. A huge tree split and fell on a house on Island Home Boulevard.
In North Knoxville, a huge tree took down phone lines on Coker Avenue. The homeowner says they just replaced their roof from the last storms.
In Fountain City, several trees were reported broken in half along Lucinda Drive.
In West Knoxville, callers reported trees down along Kingston Pike, Ebenezer Road and Westland Drive.
There are also reports of trees down in the 7 Islands area of East Knox County, and a tree that fell on a home at 6819 Pine Grove Road off Strawberry Plains Pike.
A tweet said transformers or electric pops could be heard on Highway 321 as people drive and trees are leaning and snapping in Gatlinburg.
Dispatchers said trees were down in Union, Greene and Grainger counties.
Trees came down on the LMU campus, although there was no physical damage to campus buildings. Callers said several trees were down in Claiborne County.
Staff in Lenoir City tries to keep a fireworks tent from blowing away.
The roof blew off Carl Ownby & Company in Sevierville.
This tree came down in North Knoxville on Coker Avenue.
This tree fell on a house on Island Home Boulevard in South Knoxville.
