At least 15 tornadoes touched down in Georgia, with the most powerful twister hitting Upson County, the National Weather Service said Tuesday.
Eight people in North Georgia died in the storms, which rolled through late Sunday and into early Monday. Seven of those died in Murray County, where investigators believe an EF-2 tornado hit a mobile home community. The eighth person was killed in Bartow County by an EF-1 tornado, according to the NWS.
Investigators believe an EF-3 tornado, which typically has 136-165 mph winds, rolled through Upson and the Thomaston area, about 70 miles south of Atlanta. One house was picked up and dropped onto the street. But no injuries were reported in the area, Martha Anne McCarty, the county’s emergency management director, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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“That’s the good Lord looking after folks,” McCarty said Tuesday. “We have no injuries reported whatsoever. When I tell folks that we’re blessed, I mean it.”
Had the storm taken a different path about a quarter-mile away, it could have caused catastrophic damage to a heavily populated neighborhood, McCarty said.
It was a different story 160 miles north of Upson in Murray.
Three family members were among those in Murray who were killed, county Coroner Jason Gibson said Tuesday. Those killed were Rebecca Beck, 59; Deanna Zambrano, 20; Laquita Thomas, 63; Richard Irwin, 50; Wilber Brookshire, 79; Myrtle Brookshire, 75; and Wilber Brookshire Jr., 48, Gibson said.
In addition to those killed in Murray, 23 others were taken to various hospitals for treatment, according to Fire Chief Dewayne Bain.
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Statewide, the severe weather is blamed for 33 people being injured and 87 homes being destroyed, according to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Another 133 homes suffered major damage and 582 had minor damage, GEMA said.
While most of metro Atlanta was spared the brunt of the storms, south Fulton County was hit by an EF0 tornado, according to investigators. Downed trees and power lines were the metro area’s biggest problems. By Tuesday, power had been restored to most Georgians.
Tornadoes also touched down in Dade, Habersham, Harris, Monroe, Putnam, Talbot, Stephens and Washington counties, according to the NWS. Four tornadoes were confirmed in Washington County
The forecast following the severe weather is much calmer, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.
“For the next few days, no storms are in the forecast,” he said. “After that really crazy weather pattern that we saw, things are going to be nice and quiet for us straight through Friday. I’m not expecting any rain across North Georgia, just some cooler temperatures.”
The next chance of rain will come this weekend, Monahan said.
15 TORNADOES HIT GEORGIA
Tornado strength is measured by an enhanced F-scale rating from EF0 to EF5, which considers 28 different types of damage to structures and trees.
Bartow County: EF1
Dade County: EF1
Fulton County: EF0
Habersham County: EF1
Harris County: EF0
Monroe County: EF0
Murray County: EF2
Putnam County: EF1
Stephens County: EF1
Talbot County: EF0
Upson County: EF3
Washington County (4 tornadoes): EF1 was the strongest
Source: National Weather Service and Channel 2 Action News
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