Strong winds and rain battered parts of Newton County Sunday, downing power lines and toppling trees.
Newton County Emergency Management director Brian Taylor said the storm hit the area between Union and Conehatta the hardest.
“We had quite a few trees down along U.S. Highway 489 and several county roads between Union and Conehatta,” he said.
Taylor said power lines were also brought down in the area, knocking out power to residents along U.S. 489, Pickney Church Road and the surrounding area.
First responders and utility crews worked to clear the debris and assess the damage, restoring power to residents around midnight.
“I think everything is returned,” he said. “It was last night around midnight.”
Taylor said he knew of two houses, one on Railroad street in Newton, and one on Pickney Church Road, that had been hit by fallen trees. A vehicle and an agricultural shed were also damaged by trees, he said.
Although some damage was reported, Taylor said no injuries were reported due to the storm. One missing person was located safely.
Although the area had been under a tornado warning, Taylor said the damage appeared to be caused by straight line winds, not a tornado. He said no evidence of rotation had been found as of Monday morning. However, inspectors with the National Weather Service confirmed Monday a EF-1 tornado had touched down in the area.
As of Monday, Taylor said all roads were cleared of debris and should be passable to motorists. However, he said the county will be working to clear limbs from right-of-ways alongside the roads over the next few days. Drivers are urged to stay alert and use caution traveling U.S. 489 as limbs may be close to the roadside, and crews will be out working.
