Severe storms topple trees, leave thousands without power in Georgia
Georgians are waking up Monday morning to assess the damage caused by the deadly storms that ripped through metro Atlanta late Sunday afternoon into the evening.
The storm uprooted trees and left 300,000 Georgians without power at one point over the weekend. As of Monday morning, more than 86,000 Georgians remain in the dark. The counties most affected at this time are Fannin, Jones, and Twiggs.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, travelers arrived to find dozens of flights delayed and even more canceled due to the weather. The airport is currently reporting 57 flight delays and 86 cancelations.
Last night's severe weather unfortunately turned deadly when falling tree crushed a man in the northeast part of Atlanta.
The victim has been identified as 55-year-old George Heery Jr., a well-known Atlanta realtor.
TREE FALLS ON MAN, KILLING HIM DURING THUNDERSTORM
Emergency management in Cherokee County confirmed that two more people sustained minor injuries after a tree fell on a car on Yellow Creek Road near Hightower Road.
Georgia Power released a statement Sunday evening, warning residents about safety issues as the storm passes:
"Our line crews & automated systems are responding to assess damage, reroute service where possible, repair downed lines and broken poles when storms have passed and it's safe to do so, and safely restore power as quickly as possible," a spokesperson for the company told FOX 5. "We remind customers to watch for downed power lines that may be concealed by fallen trees or standing water and stay clear."
Severe Thunderstorm Photo Gallery
In Cobb County, some people staying at the Sheraton Suites hotel at The Battery got a scare when the powerful winds seemed to break off a part of the building's outside wall.
FOX 5 viewer Derek Mobley says he and other hotel guests were in the dark until the building's generator kicked in.
A driver in the Atlanta area had a close call. He was just seconds away from possibly getting crushed by a falling tree while driving down Lenox Road.
The footage shows the tree slamming into the ground and getting tangled in the power lines close to his car.
A Milton woman and her daughter had another close call due to the storm.
Susan Warner says she and her 11-year-old girl ran when they heard the tree cracking and then heard a big boom come right behind them.
Warner says they're still shocked by what happened but are thankful they weren't hurt.
(Susan Warner)
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office shared a photo of a large tree down on Butterworth Road at Pecan Drive. Officials are asking drivers to avoid the area if possible.
Tree down on Butterworth Road at Pecan Drive during severe weather. (Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)
West Brookhaven Drive NE has been shut down after a tree fell, blocking the roadway.
64 West Brookhaven Drive NE
A FOX 5 Atlanta viewer submitted photos of weather damage from Cleveland, Georgia.
In Jasper County, the sheriff caught a selfless moment on camera.
"Earlier today the passing storm blew some trees down which was a temporary problem for motorists on Jackson Lake Road. Deputies were assisted by three local teens who helped to get the road cleared," the sheriff said.
Justin Berry, Tyler Ingle and Elijah Rachel are the three young men who volunteered.
White County's North Georgia Wildlife Park says the days of continuous rain ended up causing trees to fall down around the park's perimeter fencing.
"At this time the wolf, capybara, deer, and other habitats will all require repair. We are blessed that all of our animals are safe and contained," a spokesperson for the park told FOX 5.
The park's team is working to clear debris and repair all the damages. They've created a donation page for anyone who wants to help support the repair efforts.
"The irony of this weather event is that our zookeepers were participating in a Browse Challenge this week. Browse is the use of plant material(leaves, twigs, branches, etc) for animal consumption and enrichment," the spokesperson said. "Our zookeepers were tasked with finding native vegetation around our facility to use for this purpose. After the storm there is browse strewn throughout the park for the animals to enjoy!"
If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com.
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