Tornadoes tore through the US state of Tennessee on Saturday, leaving at least six people dead, damaging homes and causing blackouts, authorities said.

Three people died in a suburb of Nashville, the southeastern state's capital, while photos posted by the city's Office of Emergency Management showed downed trees and collapsed homes.

"Unfortunately we can confirm there are 3 fatalities as a result of the severe weather on Nesbitt Lane," the office wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

In the city of Clarksville about 65 kilometers away, two adults and one child were killed by a tornado, according to a statement from the Montgomery County government.

"Additionally, 23 people have been treated at the hospital," it said.

First responders were "still in the search and rescue phase of this disaster," it added, asking residents to stay off the roads.

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew from 9 p.m. Saturday.

"I find it is necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the community to place the City under a Curfew for tonight (12/9) and tomorrow night (12/10)," Pitts said in a statement.

Around 52,000 customers reported power outages in the state Saturday evening, down from an earlier 86,000, according to poweroutage.us, a tracking site.

Telecoms provider CDE Lightband said more than 14,000 of its customers in Clarksville were without power.

"We will work around the clock to get power restored to our city as quickly and safely as possible," it wrote on X.

Local media images showed rows of homes blown down by fierce winds, crumpled trees, overturned vehicles and toppled power lines.

WITH AFP