Homeowners begin slow process of cleaning up after EF-2 tornado

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — At least 30 homes were damaged and two people were injured after an EF-2 tornado slammed Rockdale County early Wednesday morning.

Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco was in Rockdale, where families described the sound that caused it all.

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“It was really loud,” Amanda Corley said. “It was just a few seconds, it was just like that (snapping her fingers) and then, whew, yeah. Quiet.”

Amanda and her husband Ken live in the neighborhood the tornado hit the hardest off of McDaniel Mill Road. Everywhere you turn, there were twisted trees ripped from their roots. Parts of homes had been blown away.

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“The first response you have is, ‘Thank you God, we’re alive. We’re ok,’” Corley said. “Second response is, ‘How’s everybody else doing?’”

Two people were hurt when trees fell on homes and cars, but there were no serious injuries.

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Two people were hurt when trees fell on homes and cars, but there were no serious injuries.

“Luckily. we had a good heads up that this line was coming, and we were able to do what we could in terms of preparedness,” Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Meredith Barnum said.

At least 30 homes, mostly in the McDaniel Mill and Millstead areas, have major damage.

As crews cleared roads and repaired power lines, another group handed out food, tarp and tools at Fire Station Six. Neighbors and strangers stopped to check on the Corley’s, who are known in the area for encouraging yard signs.

The tornado didn’t touch their signs, but the quick response touched the Corleys.

“People started coming, checking on us and offering help,” Amanda Corley said. “Then the grief kind of kicks in.”

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Tree service crews and disaster response teams spent most of the day tackling damage on South Hicks Circle.

“We are trying to put homeowner’s minds at ease,” Jason Fuchs with Fraser Tree said. “They are dealing with a lot right now.”

John Allen with Bulldog Disaster Response said his crews are just trying to make people’s lives a little better and clean up after the storm.

Some neighbors said they were still in shock at the damage.

“Even though you see all of this crazy natural disaster stuff, you never think it will happen to you,” Devin McCully said.

Experts said hundreds of homes likely have roof damage, and even the smallest damage could become a major problem.

Tornado damage cleanup underway in Conyers

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