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Tornadoes Rip Through Atlanta - A Look at Some of the Damage

By Maura Neill

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Around Atlanta GA RE License #296541

March 18, 2008 06:23 AM

If you live in Atlanta, you probably spent this weekend (or at least Friday evening and Saturday) glued to your television or your weather radio, keeping an eye on the severe thunderstorms as they made their way from Alabama into the Atlanta area.

I know I was shocked to hear about the tornadoes that hit downtown Atlanta on Friday night, while the SEC championship game was going on in the Georgia Dome. By some lucky fate, the game went into overtime and kept the thousands of fans in relative safety in the Dome through the worst of the weather, which ripped a hole in the Dome roof.

I thought I'd post some photos, taken by a good friend of mine (and used by permission), Kristie Krabe, to let you see the extent of the damage. Kristie works with City Segway Tours, so she got an up-close and personal view of the damage from her Segway. She says, "I wish I had my camera on Saturday when all the damage is fresh, but this is 4 days later when the clean up is going on."

I grew up in Florida and often had first-hand knowledge of the damage severe weather (thunderstorms, hurricanes) could do, but nothing to me is scarier than tornadoes!

Building on Nassau Street CNN Center / Omni Hotel

Candler Building

Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel Westin Peachtree Plaza

Philips Arena Parking Garage

Equitable Building (white blocks are boarded-up windows)

Centennial Olympic Park (with the Olympic torch toppled over)

Centennial Olympic Park - a toppled-over Papa John's Pizza Stand

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Maura Gebhardt, ABR®
The Gebhardt Group
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta
10220 Medlock Bridge Road
Johns Creek, GA 30097

direct: (770) 751-5895
main: (770) 291-0100
email: info@GebhardtGroup.com
website: http://www.GebhardtGroup.com/
blog: http://www.GebhardtGroupBlog.com/

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Angela Clark

Tony Clark REALTORS - Owensboro, KY

CRS, Realtor, Broker

It is amazing the damage that tornados can produce. After our Jan 2, 2000 tornado here in Owensboro, there was a rush on any home with a Basement. More recently, we had a tornado that went thru downtown Owensboro in Oct 2007: beautiful historic homes & businesses were destroyed as well. Thanks to you & your friend for sharing the photos. So glad you guys are all safe!

Mar 18, 2008 06:34 AM

Lorinda Ward

Keffer Realty - Norfolk, VA

Serving, Hampton Roads Virginia. Norfolk, Chesapeake, Va Beach

That is just horrible, I live right here in Woodstock Ga and I did not relize it was so bad until the next day. I turned off my cell phone around 9pm so I can get some sleep and by the morning I had over 17 messages from family members out of time (I never turn off my cell) worried.

Everyone have a blessed day!

Mar 18, 2008 06:47 AM

Maura Neill

RE/MAX Around Atlanta - Alpharetta, GA

North Metro Atlanta Real Estate

Hi, Angela! Thanks for commenting! You never really think about tornadoes here in the south - in my mind, they are something you experience in Kansas or Oklahoma! I guess it's just proof that they really can happen anywhere, as long as the circumstances are right!

~Maura Gebhardt

Mar 18, 2008 06:48 AM

Hi, Lorinda! Thanks for commenting - isn't the damage amazing? I'm glad you are safe, too - there was quite a lot of storm activity in Woodstock on Saturday!

Mar 18, 2008 06:49 AM

Kristin Small

RE/MAX Southern Shores - Myrtle Beach, SC

REALTOR -GRI, Myrtle Beach Real Estate

Maura,
Thanks for sharing with us. It's good to know that you are OK!

Mar 18, 2008 07:45 AM

Hi, David & Kristin!

Luckily we live a good distance from downtown, where this damage all occured. However, Saturday was a bit touch and go - my weather alert radio was going off all day, and a tornado was spotted just 7 miles from my house! We did get a lot of hail - about a half hour's worth - of pretty good size, but not like the *baseball-sized* hail they experienced in a county north of us! Can you imagine *baseball-sized* hail?? It could knock you out, if not kill you!

We're fine, though - thanks for commenting!

Mar 18, 2008 07:56 AM

Sharon Hampton

Re/Max Around The Mountains - Blue Ridge, GA

Maura, I couldn't believe that a tornado had came through Downtown Atlanta! I was glad to hear that the injuries were only minor. I am a hour and half North of Atlanta, in Blue Ridge Georgia and I saw this on the news! We had some strong winds on Friday night, Then on Saturday, We had a terrible thunderstorm.

Apr 30, 2008 12:51 PM

Robert L. Brown

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com - Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids Real Estate Bellabay Realty, West Mic

Devastation. That's all i can say. Hopefully noone got hurt. Buildings look pretty damaged though.

Apr 30, 2008 02:34 PM

Cindy Bryant

Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX

"Houston Home Staging Pros"

I grew up with tornadoes and have some major devastation. It's terrible.

Apr 30, 2008 03:11 PM

Hi, Sharon! We're in the Alpharetta/Johns Creek area, north of Atlanta along GA-400 and the weekend these tornadoes hit downtown, Alpharetta had some scary moments too -- tornadoes spotted but did not touch down. It was a weekend of excitement and nerves, for sure!

May 06, 2008 03:15 AM

Hi, Robert! I honestly don't know what the injuries were like, if any. I know that a some townhomes/apartments were hit on the east side of town. We don't get nearly the devastation of the midwest though, thankfully. Some of the pictures on the news recently have been really scary!

May 06, 2008 03:16 AM

Hi, Cindy! It is terrible - I grew up in Florida with bad hurricane seasons but it really doesn't equal what a tornado can do. At least with hurricanes you have plenty of warning!

May 06, 2008 03:17 AM

Kathy Clulow

Uxbridge, ON

Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Maura - Tornadoes were not something we used to think a lot about here in Ontario but on May 31 1985 a devastaing tornadoe ripped through the Barrie Ontario area. 8 people were killed, 155 injured, 300 homes destroyed and $100 million in damage. We now pay attention to weather warnings

May 06, 2008 03:42 AM

Hi, Kathy! Wow! That's amazing! I would not think of Ontario as a place where you would have to worry about tornadoes! It's amazing what Mother Nature can do!

May 06, 2008 03:44 AM

Maura - Yes cold and lots of snow are what we are usually noted for. Mother nature does on occasion challenge us with her wrath but generally we escape the severity of the effects of her wrath that are felt in the US .

May 06, 2008 03:57 AM

Tornadoes Rip Through Atlanta - A Look at Some of the Damage

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