Much of the area is under a severe weather watch from 1-6 p.m. Sunday, said Jimmy Williams, emergency management director for Houston County. He said most of the midstate is listed as having a moderate risk of severe weather during that period, including possible tornadoes, while the most southern part of the area has a high risk.
He said there was no weather damage in Houston early Sunday morning and emergency dispatchers in other area counties reported the same.
However, Williams warned people to remain vigilant through the afternoon.
“Stay home unless you absolutely have to get out,” he said.
Residents in southwest Georgia were not so fortunate Sunday. The Associated Press reported that 15 people died as a result of tornadoes in Cook, Brooks and Berrien counties.
Williams encouraged Houston residents to sign up for Code Red emergency phone alerts. That can be done by going to www.houstoncountyga.org. Bibb County residents can sign up for emergency phone alerts at To sign up go to www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert.
A storm caused widespread damage throughout the area Saturday including substantial damage in Houston County. Williams said he didn’t have an estimate but it may be comparable to the $9 million in damage that occurred in the county last April 1, not including another $4.8 million in damage at Robins Air Force Base.
Williams said he believes it was a tornado that struck the county Saturday but that has not been confirmed by the National Weather Service.
Williams said many residents reported getting the phone alerts Saturday prior to the storm hitting, as well as hearing the warning sirens. He said that contributed to the fact that there were no injuries despite substantial damage.
The storm tore part of the roof off the Wal-Mart on Booth Road in Warner Robins, causing it to shut down. Williams said the store remained closed Sunday morning but he believed it might open later in the day.
There was some possible storm damage in Bibb County early Sunday. A home on Rivoli Ridge Drive was seriously damaged by fire believed to be caused by lightening, said Battalion Chief James Alligood. He said that due to the weather, the woman who lived there went to stay with her son, so no one was home. The call came in at 1:49 a.m. He said the fire caused significant damage but firefighters were able to stop it before the home was destroyed.
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