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Tornado that tore through west Georgia confirmed to be EF-3

TROUP COUNTY, Ga. — An EF-3 tornado left significant damage in Troup County Sunday morning, toppling trees and leaving people trapped in their homes.

Drone video shows buildings in Troup County flattened for as far as the eye can see after a tornado tore through the area.

Authorities say more than 100 structures were damaged, with 30 to 40 destroyed.

Amazingly, only five people were hurt.

Channel 2 Action News spoke to Sherry Bennett, who has lived in the area for 44 years. She was in bed when the storm hit. It started with hail, which she said scared her dog, and then just got worse.

“The dog was scared to death because I have a metal roof,” Bennett said. “I was worried about my roof getting dented and bent, you know? Now I don’t have to worry about that, because, you know, I don’t have a roof.”

Sherry’s daughter found a ceiling fan motor in the living room. They don’t have a ceiling fan, but the neighbor several yards away did.

Gov. Brian Kemp toured the area on Monday, and cautioned residents that the clean-up is going to be a long process.

Kemp told WSB Radio late Monday afternoon, “some of the homes we saw...I talked to one lady that lived through the tornado inside the house, 7 o’clock in the morning. It is a miracle we didn’t have loss of life. A few injuries, but everybody seems to be recovering, working to get the power back up, roads cleared. But it looks like a bomb went off,” said Kemp.

“Two houses, my neighbors’, completely destroyed,” West Point resident Adrian McFarlin told Channel 2. “But they’re still alive, by the grace of God.” McFarlin watched his home’s roof blow off.

Frst responder Kimberly Rowe says she and her driver were responding to a 911 call in the West Point area when a tree limb smashed through the window of their truck.

“I feel like my life flashed before my eyes,” Rowe said.

In Spalding County, about 30 families around a reservoir were evacuated when a temporary dam breached after seven inches of rain fell in 48 hours. Families were allowed to go back home on Monday night.

The Red Cross has been helping people who lost their homes with temporary shelter and other assistance.



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