A powerful wind storm devastated a Georgia town Sunday afternoon, but a pulpit was left standing amid the destruction. (Fox 5)
A pulpit was miraculously still standing after a powerful storm -- which left multiple injuries and destroyed several homes -- ripped through a rural Georgia town Sunday afternoon.
Officials said either powerful straight-line winds or a tornado was responsible for the damage in Talbotton, which is about 80 miles south of Atlanta. A small family church made of cinder blocks was leveled amid the destruction, but a pulpit appeared to be unharmed, Atlanta’s Fox 5 reported.
Elsewhere, buildings and several mobile homes in the small town of fewer than 900 people were totally leveled. Leigh Ann Erenheim, director of the Talbot County Emergency Management Agency, said “between six and eight” people were injured.
"From what I understand it was minor injuries, though one fellow did say his leg might be broken," told The Associated Press.
Televised broadcast news footage showed smashed buildings with rooftops blown away, cars overturned and debris everywhere. Trees all around had been snapped bare of branches.
Henry Wilson of the Peach County Emergency Management Agency near Macon in central Georgia said a barn had been destroyed and trees and power poles had been snapped, leaving many in the area without power. Officials later said the threat for the region has passed, CBS 46 reported.
In neighboring Alabama, a large tornado left at least 23 people dead and "many, many" injuries after destroying several homes in a southeast community on Sunday, officials said. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones told The Associated Press it's possible the death toll will rise after authorities continue search efforts on Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.