Man, ya’ll be safe out here. Its crazy right now…
A possible tornado ripped two holes in the side of the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta during the Southeastern Conference tournament, halting the Alabama-Mississippi State and sending fans fleeing for the exits.The teams were sent to the locker room while those who remained at their seats looked anxiously toward the roof. The game was stopped with Mississippi State leading 64-61 with 2:11 left in overtime.According to 11Alive’s Fred Kalil, there was a roaring sound heard from inside the 16-year-old structure when the storm struck.
There are additional reports of extensive damage in downtown Atlanta. 11Alive’s Catherine Kim, reporting from outside the Georgia Dome, described what she called a “combat zone” in terms of the amount of damage. She has said that there are unconfirmed reports of many injuries inside the Georgia Dome.Kim, walking past the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta, noted significant debris along Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Marietta Street. Many windows in the CNN Center and Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta have been blown out.Atlanta Fire officials said that at least seven to ten people were transported to local hospitals from that location. 11Alive producer Tracey Carmony said that much of the damage at the Georgia Dome is near Gate C, including shattered windows and doors between the Dome and the Georgia World Congress Center.Trees and debris has been reported down across much of downtown Atlanta. Georgia State University police are reporting debris down on their campus. Atlanta police said that a structure may have collapsed on Edgewood Avenue near Butler.
There are other reports of damage to buildings in and just east of downtown Atlanta.Police said that windows have been blown out in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Atlanta as well.A vacant building to the north of CNN Center has at least partially collapsed, according to Atlanta fire officials.A National Weather Service-trained spotter and police officer contacted 11Alive News, and said from his 10th floor room in the Atlanta Hilton, he saw a funnel cloud pass over the downtown area.He said his room faces to the west, and said the funnel cloud was just to the south by “a couple of blocks,” and moving to the southeast. He said it was well-illuminated by the downtown lights, and accompanied by a “large amount of debris, flying in a circular pattern” above the level of his room.Officials said that plenty of damage has been noted downtown and in nearby areas, and “a number of injuries.”