Several families were forced from their apartments on the west side of Clarkesville on Saturday as a sudden storm ripped though the town.
The storm swept through around 1:43 p.m. Saturday carrying heavy wind and rain. Residents in the housing complex on Daisy Street say it looked and sounded like a “small tornado,” but judging from the radar, Now Habersham’s Tyler Penland says it appears to have been straight line winds that blew through gusting up to between 30 and 40 mph.
Three families had to temporarily evacuate their apartments in the complex after a tree fell on top of one of the units and caused a gas leak. The tree seriously damaged one apartment, forcing the occupant from her home until repairs are made. The Red Cross is offering temporary housing assistance and the Northeast Georgia Housing Authority is overseeing repairs.
The same storm system that hit the housing complex toppled a large tree north of Clarkesville, blocking Stonebank Road and cutting off HEMC power to the area. There are reports of downed trees on New Liberty Road, as well.
There were reports of scattered power outages throughout the county, one took down the Habersham 911 Dispatch, prompting emergency personnel to use a backup system.
In White County, despite optimistic assurances they wouldn’t have to, organizers canceled Alpine Helen’s annual Christmas parade due to the weather and safety concerns.
The severe weather that struck Georgia was part of the same system that rolled through the Central U.S. overnight, spawning dozens of tornadoes in six states and killing as many as 100 people in Kentucky.
Penland says the severe weather that struck Northeast Georgia is now over, but Now Habersham is still closely monitoring regional conditions. Check back here for updates.
