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Monday, May. 11, 2009

Severe storms down trees, damage homes in midstate

For the second straight Mother’s Day severe weather rocked Middle Georgia.

Severe thunderstorms moved through the midstate Sunday evening downing trees in Houston, Macon, Taylor, Dodge, Wheeler, Telfair and Bleckley counties.

Sgt. Jim Adams of the Houston 911 Center said strong winds blew out windows in Centerville near the Galleria and downed trees closed parts of Interstate 75. All roads are passable this morning, Adams said.

“That storm just really ripped us apart,” Adams said.

Two large trees toppled over in Winton Cannington’s yard with one smashing his motorhome in his backyard at 420 Sentry Oaks Drive.

“It was rough. We were in the house and it started hailing, winds blowing and the next thing we heard was a tree falling,” Cannington said as he watched tree crews clear the debris. “I’ve got a motor home that looks like it’s totaled. It’s a mess.”

Centerville police officer Paul Hollar said in addition to the downed trees and power lines a window blew out at the Rama television repair shop at the corner of Watson Boulevard and Collins Avenue.

The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings Sunday as the system moved through between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Preliminary damage reports indicate inch-size hail pelted Crawford and Houston counties.

Twenty to 30 trees were toppled in the Longleaf Subdivision in Elko in south Houston County, the report stated.

In Hawkinsville, roofs were blown off houses in the northwest side of town on Jackson and Dooly streets

Bleckley County authorities reported a horse barn and mobile home were damaged and about 20 trees came down near the intersection of Mac Thompson and Chicken roads, according to the preliminary storm reports.