Thousands of Tennesseans still in the dark after tornadoes

March 7 (UPI) -- More than 9,000 Tennessee residents were without power Saturday after a series of seven tornadoes killed at least 24 people and caused damage across more than 74 miles this week.

Those numbers are down from earlier this week, when an estimated 101,000 households across the state were without electricity.

According to the National Weather Service, on Monday and Tuesday seven tornadoes tore through the central part of the state at speeds ranging from 75 to 175 mph, hitting Nashville -- the state's capital and largest city -- along with several rural areas.

Nashville Electric said it was working to restore power to 8,600 customers in Nashville on Saturday. Another 1,000 residents of nearby Putnam and Jackson counties were also without electricity.

Nashville officials urged residents not to block streets or walk in the road in East Nashville, where public works and utility company vehicles have reported they were unable to access streets to do needed repair work.

President Donald Trump toured parts of the state on Friday and promised to "take care" of those affected by the storm, which has caused an estimated $1.5 and $2 billion in damage.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that disaster assistance is available to Tennessee residents affected by this week's storms.