Community Corner

Cobb Recovers from Tornado

Downed trees and power lines were still being cleaned up after severe storms ripped through the area Thursday night.

A tornado and strong thunderstorms that struck East Cobb Thursday night didn't take long to move through.

But the cleanup continued well into Friday afternoon, as a number of neighborhoods sustained heavy damage from downed trees and power lines, and residents in some areas reported they still had no electricity.

The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-1 tornado, with estimated winds nearing 110 mph, roared through East Cobb on Thursday night, around 8 p.m.

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No injuries have been reported.

Some of the heaviest damage took place in the Bishop Lake Road area, where roads were still closed. 

Find out what's happening in South Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

That's where the NWS estimates the tornado first touched down in Cobb after it moved south from Cherokee County. The tornado then moved over the Chattahoochee River at Johnson Ferry Road and Riverside Drive, according to preliminary information.

The tornado then swept into Sandy Springs, which also sustained heavy damage.

Bishop Lake Road remained closed at Chimney Springs Drive by mid-afternoon on Friday, as heavy winds caused damage along an area generally between Sewell Mill Road and Sandy Plains Road.

Hembree Road also was closed at Greencastle Chase, just south of Pope High School, as a huge tree leaned into the street.

The Johnson Ferry Road side of Paper Mill Road was closed for a while on Friday morning, but the intersection was all clear by early afternoon.

As of 3 p.m. Friday, Cobb County Government listed the following roads as being closed, either completely or partially. Most of them are in the East Cobb area:

  • Bishop Lake Road -- Power line, company on-site;
  • East Side Drive off Bishop Lake;
  • Paper Mill Road - Power lines;
  • Karls Gate Road - Power line;
  • Woodlawn Drive - Power line;
  • Birtha Way;
  • Kincaid Road - Power line;
  • Heatherstone Circle;
  • Pond Lane;
  • Smokestone Ct.;
  • Donald Drive – Power line;
  • Pine Stream Drive;
  • Hembree Road – Power line, company on-site;
  • Independence Way;
  • Magnolia Drive;
  • McCleskey Drive.

Cobb officials said several dozen trees were reported down and that they received more than 1,000 calls for help. More than 70 trees were removed from public rights of way by county crews

Cobb County asks that if you find a downed tree that needs to be removed from a public roadway, please call 770-528-3666.

For continuing updates, including emergency road closures and severe traffic delays, text "follow cobbcountygovt" to 40404 or find Cobb County Government on Facebook.

The tornado was the second to strike East Cobb in as many years. In early March 2012, another EF-1 storm touched down at East Cobb Park, taking out several dozen trees, and damaging some homes and commercial buildings, including the Home Depot on Roswell Road.

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