Severe storm packs hurricane-force winds

? Torrential rains and hurricane-force winds ripped through Tennessee, downing trees and forcing officials to close major roads Tuesday in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The storm, which had a peak wind gust of 106 mph, swept into the 520,000-acre preserve that straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border on Monday evening.

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, two people were injured, including a 6-year-old boy when a tree fell on his family’s camper, authorities said. The boy was taken to a hospital Tuesday morning.

The storm came during one of the park’s busiest seasons as thousands of visitors travel there to see the brilliant fall foliage.

“We are not evacuating, but we are advising campers to vacate at least through 8 a.m. (today),” park spokeswoman Nancy Gray said.

Major roads closed for debris removal included a road that links the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the park.