Storm strikes Lee County

The severe storms that swept through Lee County Friday night created dime-size to half-dollar-size hail, damaged homes and downed trees and power lines, forcing residents, police officers and baseball fans to seek shelter.

Rita Smith, public information officer with Lee County Emergency Management Agency, said the Loachapoka and Beauregard communities reported the most severe damage. EMA had not received any reports of injuries by the time the evening’s fourth tornado warning was called off about 9:37 p.m., she said.

Buildings in downtown Loachapoka were damaged and trees were down, she said. The Beauregard Fire Department reported damage to three homes on Lee Road 29, north of Lee Road 30, Smith said. One is uninhabitable, she said. The other two had tree root damage.

Alabama Power spokesperson Jan Ellis said of the majority of the 2,000 customers in the Beauregard and Notasulga lost power.

“As soon as the weather is favorable, crews will get out there to restore power,” she said.

Area storms were part of two days of violent weather in the South.

Three people were killed in western Arkansas Thursday.  In Tennessee Friday, several people were injured, and two were killed.

The storm also rocked southwestern Kentucky, produced large hail in several North Carolina counties and created possible tornadoes and hail in northeast Alabama.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, in New Orleans for the holiday weekend, said his office had received no reports of injuries from the storm. However, he said deputies responded to downed trees,
some blocking traffic, on more than a dozen county roads or state highways throughout the county.

Fans watching the Auburn University baseball game at Plainsman Park sought shelter across the street at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. The game was suspended as the storm continued, but play will resume in the fifth inning at 1 p.m. today.

The associated press contributed to this report