NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Study: Killer Tornado Alley Includes Tenn.

Study: Killer Tornado Alley Includes Tenn.

CASTALIAN SPRINGS, Tenn. - A recent scientific study shows that a few Southern states have the most tornado deaths in the country.

Tennessee is a part of killer tornado alley. The National Weather Service said tornadoes have become more deadly in Tennessee for a number of reasons.

The South has more hills and trees, which make it difficult to spot swirling winds.

"We have a lot of hills, trees and buildings," said Jerry Orchanian, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

"That's going to obscure your view of tornadoes."

Tennessee's terrain is a lot different from the Great Plains where there is a lot of open space.

The region's population is also poses a problem.

"You get a tornado coming through Tennessee a lot more living here, plus a lot more people living in mobile homes, someone is going to get hurt or killed," Orchanian said.

The first recorded twister in Tennessee was in 1830. Five people died and 40 others were injured in Bedford County.

In 1933, 37 people died and 156 injured in three Tennessee counties.

In 1974, a twister killed 27 people and injured 385 others in 23 counties.

In 2006, a tornado killed 10 and injured 132.

Two weeks ago, 32 people died and 191 others injured.

Although tornadoes appear to be more numerous, people are more prepared because of Doppler radar.

"So people are watching and giving real-time reports of any funnel cloud," Orchanian said.

Although more tornadoes hit Great Plains, more people are more likely to die in killer tornado alley, which includes Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi.

About a dozen tornadoes each year hit Tennessee.