FAIRBURN, Ga. — The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado did touch down in Fairburn on Monday night. The size and intensity of that tornado has not been determined.
According to Fulton County Police, about 30 to 40 homes and numerous cars were damaged from the storm, but it appears that no one was injured.
People living in the south Fulton County neighborhood said the storm moved in quickly, leaving them little time to find a safe place to take cover.
Thomas Corren and his wife built a shelter under their staircase three years ago, just in case a tornado ever came their way again. Monday night, they needed it again.
"It was like a good 20 minutes. You can feel the house shaking," Corren said as he described the sound of the storm moving overhead.
As the storm passed through the neighborhood, Corren said debris started flying everywhere, including large pieces of wood, which went several feet into this home.
After the storm left the neighborhood, people came out of their shelters to try and glimpse how bad the damage was. 11Alive's Joe Henke gave a Facebook live tour of the damage in the Chestnut Ridge neighborhood.
Ontario Alvarez lives in one of the dozens of homes torn apart. He showed 11Alive where the winds ripped the wall off his mother's kitchen. Alvarez waited out the storm with his family inside a bathroom. He said thankfully, everyone made it out safe.
"It is good. It is a blessing. Because we thought we were dead for sure," Alvarez said.
The Red Cross was called in to assists residents who became victims of storm damage overnight in metro Atlanta.
"We expect a busy day ahead as daylight approaches, increasing visibility in hard-hit areas," the organization said in a statement. "Currently, a team is on the ground in Fairburn where homes in the Jumpers Trail neighborhood suffered significant damage."
Tornadic activity and straight line winds were also confirmed in Haralson County. Click here for more in the damage there.
Storm damage and Severe weather on March 19
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