Severe storms razor through Paulding County ‘like a train,’ damaging more than dozen homes

Motorists in Dallas sat in traffic Sunday morning on US-61, looking around at the devastation in the wake of the storm — ripped off billboard signs, homes cut in half by fallen trees and scattered power lines.

“By the grace of God, nobody was hurt,” Henson said. “We’re so thankful for that.”

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

It’s a sentiment shared by many, including 67-year-old Clifford White.

Around 10 p.m. Saturday, White stepped outside to survey the onset of the storm. Power lines were bouncing around, sparking together to create what he described as a “light show.” Cars braving the storm drove into some branches that had already fallen onto the road in front of his house.

“It was so hot and sticky, and I knew we were in for trouble,” White said.

Around midnight, White said his one-story house began to shake violently. The storm was in full force as rain pounded down on the pavement and powerful wind gusts whipped around his house.

“It felt like an earthquake,” he said. “All we felt was the house shaking.”

About 15 minutes later, the wind died down and he walked around the house to examine any damages. An oak tree, at least 50 feet tall, had completely uprooted and clipped the edge of his house, just a couple feet from his roommate’s bedroom.

“We’re lucky,” he said. “It’s fate.”

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

By the time Shea Zimmerman received a shelter-in-place warning on her phone around 11:30 p.m., she was already hiding behind some cabinets in her kitchen as trees battered her house.

“I was shocked I didn’t see trees in my ceiling,” Zimmerman said. “These houses are made of toothpicks.”

Once the winds died down, Zimmerman quickly got in her car to make her escape to her friend’s house, which had a basement. She noticed the car’s left windows were shattered but figured the car could make the drive.

“I started the engine and something didn’t sound right, so I got back out,” she said.

That’s when she noticed the back of her car was no longer there. The storm had ripped her white sedan in half.

Zimmerman said the worst of the storm had passed around 3 a.m., and could not believe her house was left untouched.

“I prayed, prayed and prayed,” she said. “I’m blessed that all the damage went around my whole house.”

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Lucky Singh, owner of a Texaco gas station, was not so lucky, incurring $150,000 in damages after the storm wrenched the gas station’s canopy off its bolts and flung it onto the convenience store’s roof. He said the insurance company will only cover $40,000 and will most likely have to pay the remaining balance out of pocket.

“It’s really bad,” he said. “Branding, imaging is expensive.”

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for north and west Georgia until 4 a.m. Sunday. Thousands in the metro Atlanta area remained without power Sunday morning, including about 3,000 customers in Fulton County, according to Georgia Power.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

As the storm moved past west Georgia, parts of southeast Georgia including Ware, Bacon and Charlton counties were under a tornado watch until 3 p.m., where wind gusts were recorded at 60 mph.

Several flood warnings were also issued Sunday morning for several rivers in Georgia, including Euharlee Creek at US 278 at Rockmart, South Chickamauga Creek at Ringgold, Tallapoosa River at US 78 near Tallapoosa and Lookout Creek near New England.

“The fact that I’m still here (alive) is crazy,” Zimmerman said.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC