Storm takes down trees, power lines

Thursday afternoon storms left behind downed trees and power lines, but no major structural damage occurred, said Laurens County Emergency Management Agency Chief Bill Laird. 

Laird said trees and power lines were downed in areas mostly south of Dublin, including the Rentz, Cadwell and Dexter areas, knocking out power to some residents. 

“Between power lines and trees down, we probably had 20 different incidents, from Highway 19 at the interstate all the way to the county line south in Rentz, Dexter, Cadwell and Cedar Grove,” Laird said. “We didn’t have any reports of property damage or injuries. All of the power outages have been taken care of.” 

There was a tornado warning issued during the storm from what weather officials saw on radar south of Cadwell in the Plainfield area in Dodge County.

“When it is just outside the county moving east, it was going to come into Laurens County and move into the Cedar Grove area,” Laird said. “We had the warning issued for what could cause a tornado. The Weather Service has not said anything any different. The majority of the trees downed and the damage we had was actually north of this particular area.”

Laird is waiting to hear back from the Weather Service.

“It may be like a couple we had last year that were really quick spin-up weak tornadoes that never really got down on the ground and caused a lot of damage,” he said. “They will make that call and determination later (Friday).” 

The Weather Service later determined an EF1 tornado hit the southernmost end of the county.

According to a list provided by Laird, trees went down at the intersection, or near:  117 and Peanut Road in Rentz; 337 Airport Road in Dublin; JJ Club Road and Roundtree Road in Rentz; in the 1700 block of Ga. 117 in Rentz; Dublin Eastman Road and Highway 338 in Dexter; Antioch Church Road and Taylor Grocery Road in Dexter; U.S. 441 South and Ella Burch Road near Alamo; 2000 block of Church Street in Rentz, 1600 block of Ga. 19 South in Dublin; Academy Street and Railroad Avenue in Cadwell; 1900 block of Ga. 19 South in Dublin; Scotland Road and Hayward Lowery Road in Dublin; Reedy Springs Church Road and Taylor Grocery Road in Cadwell; Dublin Eastman Road and Bryan Road in Dexter; Reedy Springs Church Road and Gino’s Drive in Rentz; Mt. Carmel Church Road and Whittle Road in Dexter; Thairdell Road and Clayhill Road in Rockledge; Peanut Road and Ga. 117 in Rentz; Ga. 126 and Smith Road in Cadwell; 900 block of Peanut Road in Rentz; Collins Lane and Ga. 117 in Rentz and Taylor Rowland Road and Pineway Drive in Dexter.

Wires went down in the 1000 block of Bates Avenue in Rentz; Ga. 126 and JD Williams Road in Cadwell,; Ga. 117 and Taylor Grocery Road in Cadwell; Chic Inn Road and Self Road near Alamo; Hampton Lane and Ga. 338 in Cadwell; and Emily Currie Road and Ga. 117 in Rentz.

Laird said people need pay attention to the weather throughout the week, adding that all the information about the potential for a bad storm on Thursday had been forecasted. 

“The weather is starting to warm up and we’re going to have thunderstorms, and a lot of times they will be severe in Middle Georgia,” he said. “Just have a way to keep up with the weather and be able to receive warnings. If you are indoors, you may not be able to hear the sirens.”

People can sign up for Civic Ready Alert Notifications by going to Laurens County website (laurenscoga.org). Laird also stressed the importance of knowing where the safe place is at work should a tornado warning happen.

“We think about our safe place at home a lot of times,” he said. “We need to know what the plan is if you are at work. You need to think where would you go and how would you be safe if a tornado should happen.”