Storm damage in Lamar County.
Tornado touches down in Pike; two dead in Lamar
A tornado warning was issued for Pike County around midnight as lightning continuously lit up the sky. A tornado which hopscotched southeastern parts of Pike County, touching down on Highway 19 south and also on Piedmont Road. On Grove Street in Barnesville, it destroyed several houses, leaving two dead.
The tornado apparently first touched down near the intersection of Turner Bridge and Piedmont Roads, crossed Highway 18 West crushing a home and then devastated the home of Josh and Amanda Horne on Old Milner Road but the family was unhurt.
The storm then cut through the 400 block of Grove Street where it left a swathc of destruction 400 to 500 yards wide, destroyed multiple homes and left two dead. Deputy coroner Cindy Killingsworth and Rev. Garth Forster were among those trying to identify the mangled bodies, a task that may have to wait for daylight. It is hoped no more bodies will be found.
The tornado then crossed Hwy. 41, damaging the home of Joe and Pat Edwards on Dozier Hill and destroying the Hot Shot store and the home of Paul Buice across Atlanta Street from the store.
According to Maj. Morris of the Pike County sheriff's office, five deputies helped with damage in Barnesville.
"The damage was terrible in Barnesville," he said. "There were several sections that got hit hard."
Maj. Morris said no structural damage or injuries were reported to the sheriff's office.
"The Piedmont Road area got hit real hard," he said. "Several trees and wires were down and roofs got ripped off homes. It's just a blessing it went around us. Lamar, Spalding, Upson and Merimether all had lots of damage and here we are in the middle and it missed us somehow."
If you want to volunteer to help in storm’s aftermath, call the Lamar County Emergency Management Agency at 770.358.5166. They are coordinating volunteer efforts.
Photos and Lamar County coverage by Walter Geiger, publisher of the Herald-Gazette.
The storm then cut through the 400 block of Grove Street where it left a swathc of destruction 400 to 500 yards wide, destroyed multiple homes and left two dead. Deputy coroner Cindy Killingsworth and Rev. Garth Forster were among those trying to identify the mangled bodies, a task that may have to wait for daylight. It is hoped no more bodies will be found.
The tornado then crossed Hwy. 41, damaging the home of Joe and Pat Edwards on Dozier Hill and destroying the Hot Shot store and the home of Paul Buice across Atlanta Street from the store.
According to Maj. Morris of the Pike County sheriff's office, five deputies helped with damage in Barnesville.
"The damage was terrible in Barnesville," he said. "There were several sections that got hit hard."
Maj. Morris said no structural damage or injuries were reported to the sheriff's office.
"The Piedmont Road area got hit real hard," he said. "Several trees and wires were down and roofs got ripped off homes. It's just a blessing it went around us. Lamar, Spalding, Upson and Merimether all had lots of damage and here we are in the middle and it missed us somehow."
If you want to volunteer to help in storm’s aftermath, call the Lamar County Emergency Management Agency at 770.358.5166. They are coordinating volunteer efforts.
Photos and Lamar County coverage by Walter Geiger, publisher of the Herald-Gazette.
BUT my respect for God is surely "charged up" when he makes his earthly appearances through his deeds.
He has unique ways of making everything but Life and Heaven appear so insignificant.......which it is anyway to me....obama who?
My prayers to all.
I do remember reading somewhere in the Book of Habakkuk that judgment of others is up to our wise and infallible discretion.
I bet God had no idea Obama would win the election. I say the tea party should decide the next President.
What I suggest that you do is to get out and take a drive down Highway 19 south. Turn left on Vega road and continue to drive to the Lamar County line. This is where Vega road changes to Piedmont road. Very shortly thereafter right before the intersection of Piedmont and Turner Bridge road, slow down, honk your horn and wave at the people cleaning up all the downed trees and trying to salvage their belongings from what is left of a forest. Tell them that you are so happy because a bothersome emergency siren did not disturb your sleep. If you still want to share your blessings of a good nights sleep, continue to drive this route until you reach the end of Piedmont road. Honk your horn and wave at these folks that have lost everything, but their life. Please be careful because as of yesterday some ones home was still partially in the road. It might inconvenience you because only one lane can pass at a time. Down just a bit look out your window and give those folks a big whoo-hoo that are trying to remove Mrs. Fosters long time home from the entrance to Turner Bridge road. Be sure to stop by the farm that lost most of its buildings and honk at them. At the end of Piedmont, take a right on to Highway 18. Do not worry about getting up to speed limit because you will soon be at a snails pace because of all of the trucks, skid steers, tractors, FEMA workers and residents that are trying to clean up so they can rebuild. You just might be moving so slow that you could take a nap, but I doubt it because all of the bothersome noise. Those chainsaws do make a hell of a “racket”. I would tell you to head on over to Grove Street to share your blessings with those people, but I do believe that the neighborhood is still mostly impassable.
I could continue on, but you are most likely tired by now and need another good nights sleep. If you are not too tuckered out from your afternoon of sharing your good fortune of a peaceful nights sleep, pull over, introduce yourself to someone and offer to help. Even a dumb a$$ like yourself could pick up some trash or drag some limbs.
I made the decision to evacuate my family from our home the other night, because we were in the direct path of the storm and had time to do so. When we decided to leave, we could hear the emergency sirens from Thomaston. I think everyone that heard them out our way was thankful of the warning. When we returned at around 3:00am, we had no damage except for a few trees that fell on our property. The tornado passed about two hundred yards from our home. I did not get good nights sleep this night. Matter of a fact, I didn’t sleep much at all. Yesterday morning, I went to work and felt like crap all day. I went to bed early last night and did get a good rest. I am happy to say that today I feel blessed to have had a good nights sleep, to have my family safe and to be alive.
#2 I don't believe that home owners insurance will bring back the dead...
#3 I have never ended a sentence with "duh huh".... well, until now...
Some people don't understand what can happen.
My dad is a firefighter and a paramedic with Meriwether and he is now constantly working now.
Thanks for your comment
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Want one of my famous biscuits and ham?
Ya'lls come yous knows where.
Sunday morning comes early
BTW..Pike County..You have a GREAT girls soccer team...good luck in the rest of the playoffs.