Atlanta cleans up after downtown tornado

Last update: March 15, 2008 - 9:28 PM

A powerful tornado with wind up to 130 miles per hour cut a 6-mile path through downtown Atlanta on Friday night, blowing windows out of skyscrapers, tossing trees and cars and injuring at least 27 people. No fatalities were reported.

MORE TO COME?

More thunderstorms headed across northern Alabama toward the city Saturday. "We're bracing for another round of whatever mother nature throws at us," said Lisa Janak of the state emergency management agency.

Also Saturday, at least one person was killed when a second tornado struck in Polk County, Ga., about 75 miles northeast of Atlanta, and another storm-related death was reported in Floyd County, state emergency officials said.

CAUGHT BY SURPRISE

The severity of the Atlanta storm surprised forecasters, who broke into prime-time programming about 9:40 p.m. Friday to report that tornadoes could be heading for the downtown area. Thousands of people had gathered there for two basketball games and a dental convention. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning about eight minutes before the twister hit.

THE DAMAGE

The twister brought what was supposed to be a busy Saturday to a near-standstill. Among the damage, estimated at $150 million to $200 million:

• The Georgia World Congress Center, a state convention facility, suffered the most damage, with shattered windows, scattered seats and ceiling trouble.

• In Centennial Olympic Park, two Olympic torch replicas were knocked over. A sign outside Philips Arena was damaged.

• The dental convention was canceled, as was the St. Patrick's Day parade and the Atlanta Home Show.

• The Southeastern Conference basketball playoffs were moved from the Georgia Dome to a smaller arena at Georgia Tech open only to players and their families.

• The storm damaged the roof of the CNN Center, sucked furniture out of the lobby and sent storm water into the newsroom.

• Skyscrapers were pocked with broken windows. Debris and glass carpeted the streets.

• One corner of a loft apartment building collapsed.

A RECORD?

The tornado was the first on record in downtown Atlanta, said Vaughn Smith, a weather service meteorologist. The last tornado to strike inside the city was in 1975 (it hit the governor's mansion north of downtown), he said.

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