Gordon County was one of the hardest-hit areas on Wednesday after a possible tornado touched down. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency after homes and buildings were destroyed.
Damage from the storm lined Highway 53 in Calhoun as residents began to survey the destruction. Katherine Welsh said that she's grateful her family wasn't home when the storm hit on Wednesday. Her street was closed, but deputies allowed the family back in to see the damage.
"I was at a friend's house, and thank God that I had my kids and my dog this morning, and I just felt like we needed to leave," Welsh said. "We just came by. We have nothing left."
The town was under curfew until dawn, and crews searched for people trapped in debris. The sheriff said they were in the process of going home-to-home in search of injuries. Seven people had been rescued from debris by late Wednesday.
In the Sonoraville community, up to 10 homes were reportedly damaged. One home had its roof torn off, and power lines came down, splitting open at least one tree.
A towing company was also flattened by the possible tornado. The office of the building was ripped apart, and landed on top of a tow truck. The owner was out of town on Wednesday, and was shocked when she saw the damage.
"I am a little bit. I'm not really sure what to think about it, but it's mind-blowing," said owner Samantha Acree.
A curfew was imposed in the area. The downed power lines and phone lines are making it dangerous to move around.
It was not immediately clear if a tornado touched down in the area, or if the damage was caused by straight-line winds.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:04 PM EDT2013-05-23 23:04:30 GMT
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
Thursday, May 23 2013 6:57 PM EDT2013-05-23 22:57:43 GMT
Tawon Stokes couldn't believe her eyes Sunday when she found a piece of a wing flap that fell off of an airplane and landed on the side of the road in her Ellenwood community.
Tawon Stokes couldn't believe her eyes Sunday when she found a piece of a wing flap that fell off of an airplane and landed on the side of the road in her Ellenwood community.
Thursday, May 23 2013 6:46 PM EDT2013-05-23 22:46:08 GMT
Employees of Atlanta-area Belk stores help spruce up a Norcross school on Thursday. They spent the day working on the campus at Meadow Creek Elementary in Norcross
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Thursday, May 23 2013 6:35 PM EDT2013-05-23 22:35:12 GMT
Metro Atlanta's jobless rate fell in April from 7.9 percent to 7.6 percent. The state labor department says employers added nearly 13,000 jobs.
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Thursday, May 23 2013 5:57 PM EDT2013-05-23 21:57:50 GMT
The fox responsible for biting two Newton County elementary school students while they played on their school's playground remains on the loose.
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