Ga. continues to recover from March 2-3 storms

ATLANTA — Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flash flooding killed one person and caused widespread damage to approximately 225 homes this weekend across Georgia.

An 83-year-old Alpharetta woman died in a storm drain near her home, where she reportedly sought shelter during Friday night’s storm in Fulton County. At the height of the storm 7,000 were without power, but virtually all are now restored.

Local and state authorities continue to assist with recovery and damage assessment operations today. he National Weather Service confirmed that tornadoes struck several Georgia counties on Friday and Saturday, including a powerful EF-3 tornado in Paulding and Lanier counties, and an EF-1 in Cobb County.

The following is a summary of reported damages to homes by county: Barrow-2 minor; Decatur-1 minor; Early-1 moderate, 3 people trapped/transported/treated and released; Lowndes-15 minor, 6 major, 13 destroyed; Thomas-1 minor; Haralson-1 moderate, 1 destroyed; Paulding-92 minor, 58 moderate, 10 destroyed; Coffee-5 minor; and, Lanier-7 minor; 6 moderate, 4 destroyed. At least 223 homes sustained damage during the weekend storms: 123 minor; 66 moderate; and 30 destroyed.

Other notable damages by region and county include:

Metro Atlanta

Cobb – Scattered trees down; one reported tree reported on a home.

Fayette – One home struck by lightning.

Fulton – One fatality; scattered trees down; and, minor, temporary road closures.

Northeast Georgia

Barrow – Two homes struck by lightning, no injuries.

Northwest Georgia
Carroll – Five roads with minor damage from heavy rains.
Haralson – One church with minor damage.
Paulding – One church with minor damage; county airport – one hanger destroyed; 22 private airplanes damaged; roof damage to terminal building; Poole Elementary school – major damage (partial roof failure, six modular classrooms destroyed, and at least one wall blown out).

Southeast Georgia

Effingham – Scattered trees, power lines downed.

Lanier – (City of Lakeland) Louis Smith Hospital sustained moderate roof damage, one ancillary building destroyed; trees downed on Highway 122 and Highway 37; Georgia DOT, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Moody Air Force Base assisted with road clearance.

Southwest Georgia

Brooks, Grady, Mithchell – Trees downed.

Thomas – Minor flooding