Trump to head to Tennessee after devastating tornadoes

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President Trump sends condolences, prayers to Tennessee

President Donald Trump announces plan to visit Nashville, Tennessee in wake of devastating tornadoes.

President Trump announced that he will visit Tennessee later this week to survey the damage inflicted by a deadly storm that produced at least two tornadoes earlier Tuesday morning.

At least 21 people died in the storm that caused significant damage near downtown Nashville.

NASHVILLE TORNADO LEAVES SEVERAL DEAD AS SEVERE WEATHER STRIKES TENNESSEE

“Before I begin I want to send my warm wishes to the great people of Tennessee," Trump said at the beginning of his speech at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference Tuesday. "I'll be going there Friday. Our hearts are full of sorrow for the lives that were lost."

In a press briefing, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee told reporters the deaths were centered in four different counties and there are a "number of people that are missing" in addition to "many" that are injured and being transported to area hospitals.

Metro Nashville police officers and fire crews were responding to about 48 building collapses around the city as neighborhoods were littered with blown-down walls and roofs, snapped power lines and huge broken trees. Search and rescue crews were fanning through neighborhoods searching for any injured people inside collapsed structures.

Trump had previously tweeted that he was monitoring developments out of Tennessee and that the federal government is "is with you all of the way during this difficult time."

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Metro Nashville Public Schools said its schools would be closed Tuesday because of the tornado damage. Wilson County, just east of metro Nashville, will close schools for the rest of the week. Election polling sites at schools were expected to remain open for Tuesday's primary elections, as well as district offices, according to tweets from its official account.

Jeff Roberts of the Tennessee Election Commission said in a statement early Tuesday that information about damage to polling stations is being collected as polls open for Super Tuesday. Any voter in Davidson County whose assigned precinct has been impacted may vote at the Election Commission Offices, the statement said. Polls open at various times, starting at 7 a.m. CST, depending on the county.

Fox News' Travis Fedschun, David Aaro, Kathleen Reuschle and The Associated Press contributed to this report.