Gordon County hit hard by possible tornado

Gordon County was one of the hardest-hit areas on Wednesday after a possible tornado touched down. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency after homes and buildings were destroyed.

Damage from the storm lined Highway 53 in Calhoun as residents began to survey the destruction.  Katherine Welsh said that she's grateful her family wasn't home when the storm hit on Wednesday.  Her street was closed, but deputies allowed the family back in to see the damage.

"I was at a friend's house, and thank God that I had my kids and my dog this morning, and I just felt like we needed to leave," Welsh said. "We just came by. We have nothing left."

The town was under curfew until dawn, and crews searched for people trapped in debris. The sheriff said they were in the process of going home-to-home in search of injuries.  Seven people had been rescued from debris by late Wednesday.

In the Sonoraville community, up to 10 homes were reportedly damaged. One home had its roof torn off, and power lines came down, splitting open at least one tree.

A towing company was also flattened by the possible tornado. The office of the building was ripped apart, and landed on top of a tow truck. The owner was out of town on Wednesday, and was shocked when she saw the damage.

"I am a little bit. I'm not really sure what to think about it, but it's mind-blowing," said owner Samantha Acree.

A curfew was imposed in the area. The downed power lines and phone lines are making it dangerous to move around.

It was not immediately clear if a tornado touched down in the area, or if the damage was caused by straight-line winds.

No injuries were reported in the community.