BLECKLEY COUNTY, Ga. — A line of storms with straight line winds plowed through parts of Central Georgia Friday afternoon. They pulled down trees, damaged homes, and knocked out power lines in some counties.
EMA Director Matthew Kelley says strong straight line winds pulled down and uprooted trees here in Bleckley County, damaging at least five homes and knocking out power to up to 1,000 customers.
Kelley says the county saw the worst damage off of Red Dog Farm and Antioch Roads right outside of Cochran.
"I just heard extreme wind and rain," said Hope Dow, who lives of Red Dog Farm Road.
Dow and Cassie Williams were visiting a neighbor's home Friday afternoon.
"I checked the weather. I said 'Oh, it looks fine. We can be out for a little while,'" Williams said.
But not long after, the clouds started getting dark and the wind picked up.
"It was just blowing so hard. We were running to our houses," Dow said.
Dow ran to her home across the street while Williams and her daughter Christina tried to run to theirs next door.
"I said 'Christina, we need to go home.' We made it as far as right here," Williams said, pointing to the side of the home. "It hit really bad. We couldn't even make it to the door."
Winds forced Williams and 5-year-old Christina to take cover at the side of the home by the house's foundation.
"I was sheltering her with my own body. All I could see was wind and wind and wind, and then there was a break," Williams said.
The two ran to their door and that's when Williams heard a crashing sound.
Two trees toppled onto their home, crashing through the master bathroom, and totaling her van parked outside.
"Outside. It's crazy. I know. It's like God was looking down on us or something," she said. "We're all safe. She's safe. The dog's safe. Everyone's safe. Thank the Lord."
Kelley says no injures were reported in the county.
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