BlogThe National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down in Coweta County. ATLANTA (AP) - The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down in Coweta County.Vaughn Smith, a meteorologist based in Peachtree City, says the EF-0 tornado had a top wind speed of 85 mph Sunday afternoon. Tornadoes range from EF-0 to the most severe EF-5. The twister touched down near Moreland - about 40 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta. The tornado was 50 yards wide and traveled a quarter of a mile. Smith says the tornado lasted for one minute, but caused downed trees, minor damage to a house and threw a 20-foot boat and a 30-foot trailer 30 yards. No serious injuries or deaths were reported. The tornado was part of a severe weather system that led to downed trees and large hail in several areas of the state. This weekend marks the two year anniversary of the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded. This weekend marks the two year anniversary of the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded.In total, 358 tornadoes were confirmed in 21 states, from Texas to New York. 346 people lost their lives. April 27th is among the most prolific and destructive tornado days in U.S. history with a record 208 tornadoes touching down that day, including a remarkable 4 EF-5's, the highest ranking possible for tornadoes. In total, the late April outbreak left behind approximately 11 billion dollars in damage. In central Georgia, a strong EF-3 tornado tracked across Pike, Lamar, Monroe and Butts Counties. Winds topped 140 miles per hour. The twister raced at 49 miles per hour covering 30 miles and was over a half mile wide. Two Lamar county residents lost their lives when a house was destroyed along Grove Street. Three tractor trailers were blown off the road on I-75. In Lamar County, as noted above two lives were lost on Grove Street. Danny Gunter survived the storm but lost two family members in the process. His brother and sister-in-law were sucked out of their home and killed in the storm. "My brother and sister-in-law, their bodies were so mangled that it looked like they were just broken all to pieces. They were so mangled in fact they could not embalm their bodies they had to just cremate them,” says Gunter. Danny was seriously injured in the tornado. His 96-year-old father survived with two broken bones; his now 10-year-old niece had a broken collar bone and lost her mom and dad all in the same day. "God’s been good that our family came through this as we did. The destruction here just reminds us that these things are temporary,” says Gunter. Authorities say an early morning earthquake that struck east Georgia is the latest in a series of quakes to hit the region. LINCOLNTON, Ga. (AP) - Authorities say an early morning earthquake that struck east Georgia is the latest in a series of quakes to hit the region.The U.S. Geological Survey says the latest quake struck at 1:13 a.m. Friday. The epicenter of the earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 2.8, was about 10 miles southeast of Lincolnton. The U.S.G.S. says an aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 2.1 shook the ground a few minutes later, around 1:27 a.m. There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries. WJBF-TV reports that a 2.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded on April 7 and was followed by two aftershocks registering magnitudes of 1.9 and 2.2. Lincolnton is about 40 miles northwest of Augusta. Residents of a community near Atlanta are cleaning up after a tornado destroyed several homes and injured one woman. MANSFIELD, Ga. (AP) - Residents of a community near Atlanta are cleaning up after a tornado destroyed several homes and injured one woman.WSB-TV reports cable and phone company crews were arriving in Mansfield to start repairs Saturday, a day after the twister blew through Newton County 50 miles southeast of Atlanta. The Red Cross was providing shelter to those who needed a place to stay. Newton County Fire Chief Kevin O'Brien says the Friday storm destroyed as many as six homes and left up to six more severely damaged. He says an elderly woman had to be rescued from a collapsed building. She was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-2 tornado packing winds between 105 and 115 mph touched down in the county. ___ Information from: WSB-TV, http://www.wsbtv.com/index.html Forecasters have confirmed an EF-2 tornado has caused property damage in north central Georgia. MANSFIELD, Ga. (AP) - Forecasters have confirmed an EF-2 tornado has caused property damage in north central Georgia.National Weather Service meteorologists say a twister that recorded winds of between 105 and 115 mph Friday afternoon left a path of damage about 7.5 miles long in Mansfield - about 50 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta. Forecasters say the tornado was about 175 yards wide and left eight homes severely damaged. A woman was injured when her mobile home was damaged and has been hospitalized. Officials say one home was destroyed in the storm and television footage showed debris from severely damaged homes and toppled trees strewn across the ground. Authorities say an 8-year-old boy has been hospitalized after being hit by a falling tree branch while he was on a school playground in Atlanta. Read more »
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