Woodstock Reviews Storm Damage

Cherokee County and Woodstock are picking up after the area was thrashed by high winds, lightning, and a possible tornado Thursday evening.

At approximately 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Georgia Power reported on its website that approximately 3,079 Georgia Power customers in the Woodstock area are still in the dark, and reports are coming in of tree branches falling on power lines.

Brittany Duncan with the Woodstock Police Department reported that a tractor trailer spun out on Interstate 575 northbound at Towne Lake Parkway. The big rig did not hit anything, but was bogged down in the grass on the right shoulder and was blocking both lanes before it was removed.

Duncan also said that the Department of Public Works is investigating three reports of downed trees or power lines. Additionally, "a couple" traffic signal lights came down on Highway 92 near Main Street. 

In Holly Springs, news of a multi-car accident at Old Highway 5 and East Cherokee Drive was quickly overshadowed by the possible touchdown of a tornado in the area. Numerous members of the Holly-Springs Hickory Flat Patch Facebook page reported seeing funnel clouds, but no official confirmation of a tornado has yet been received from authorities. 

On Arthur Road in Holly Springs, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Serviceswas busy extricating a 58-year-old woman from her SUV after a tree fell on it. Cherokee County E911 had reported over 300 calls in the hour after the storm began.

In Canton, the Police Department has reported that the following roads are closed due to downed trees or power lines. Please note that the list is not exhaustive:

• Hospital Road and Mary Lane
• The 1000 block of Shoal Creek Road
• Hickory Flat at 575 to Marietta Road
• Marietta Road at Cartersville Street
• Marietta Road at Railroad Street
• Marietta Road at Jackie Morie Lane
• Marietta Highway at the Boling Park entrance
• Scott Mill at Killan Street
• McCollum Road to Univeter Road
• Oakdale Road at the entrance to the River Falls subdivision

Residents are being asked to stay off the roads, and to call 911 if they are in need of emergency assistance.

Georgia Power reported late Thursday that 9,256 of their customers were without power in an area that stretches between Canton, Holly Springs, and Lathemtown. In the Canton area, roughly 4,700 were without power.