MLG FLC HAS TURB ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE UP-AND DOWNDRAFT RESULTING IN FLT ATTENDANT AND PAX INJURIES WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID TSTMS.

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FLYING EBOUND FL370; WE WERE APCHING A TSTM SOME 60 MI ON OUR NOSE. WE TURNED L ABOUT 10 DEGS TO AVOID THE STORM. 40 MI LATER; WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS GENERATED BY THE TSTM (BLOW OFF/OVERHANG). WE TURNED FURTHER TO THE L TO FURTHER AVOID THE TSTMS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MARGIN FOR AVOIDANCE. AFTER THE TURN A VERY SMALL RETURN APPEARED ON THE NOSE (VERY SMALL GREEN WITH THE TIP YELLOW APPROX 1/8 MI ACROSS) AT A DISTANCE OF 5 MI. WE TURNED BACK R TO AVOID AND ROLLED OUT OF OUR TURN. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER; WE ENTERED AN AREA OF VERY HVY RAIN FOLLOWED BY A VIOLENT UPDRAFT FORCING THE ACFT UP 400 FT FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A SUDDEN DOWNDRAFT PUSHING THE ACFT DOWN 800 FT. THE AUTOPLT WAS PUNCHED OFF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ENCOUNTER AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN BACK UP TO FL370. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS 30 SECONDS LATER AND CHKED THE CABIN FOR INJURIES (SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON AT LEAST 5 MINS PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CLOUDS). 3 MINOR INJURIES WERE RPTED TO THE CAPT: 1) B FLT ATTENDANT HAD HIT THE CEILING (AFT GALLEY). 2) A PAX WAS CUT ON THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE. 3) ANOTHER PAX HAD A SMALL CUT ON HIS FOREARM (SUSTAINED WHEN HIS WIFE GRABBED HIS ARM AND CUT HIM WITH HER FINGERNAILS). THE ACFT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO NASHVILLE AND WAS MET BY EMS TO TREAT ANY INJURED PAX. THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND A NEW AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE WAS ISSUED.