EF-1 tornado hit Banks County on Tuesday, NWS confirms
A split tree from a confirmed tornado in Banks County on Tuesday. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
BANKS COUNTY, Ga. - The National Weather Service told FOX 5 Atlanta an EF-1 tornado tore through Banks County on Tuesday.
An EF-1 twister is considered a "gale tornado," according to the scale NWS uses to classify tornadoes. It has winds between 86 and 110 miles per hour, strong enough to uproot trees, damage signs and farm buildings.
NWS dispatched surveyors and plans to publish a damage report and specifics of the tornado's route and windspeeds.
The twister was a byproduct of Tropical Depression Fred, which passed over Georgia overnight and early Tuesday morning. By late morning and early afternoon, the storm was threatening tornadoes in northeastern parts of the state.
Officials assess damage from a confirmed tornado in Banks County on Tuesday. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
The twister left debris in its wake. A barn-like structure collapsed causing lacerations to horses inside, one person told FOX 5 Atlanta. Heavy rain from the storm washed away a road near Homer. Officials said it could take weeks to repair.
At least six apparent tornadoes touched down in Georgia, including the EF-1 in Banks County. One hit Americus, in the southwestern part of the state, damaging at least a dozen homes and an apartment complex. One hit Jeffersonville, near Macon, tearing metal siding off a sporting goods warehouse, knocking over a semitruck trailer and tossing around small boats, according to the National Weather Service.
At last check, there were no confirmed injuries to people from the twister in Banks County.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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