Trees down, power out across the area
Workers push downed tree off of Highway 31 to open traffic
Alabama Power Co., quickly responded
A severe Thunderstorm that roared through the area Friday downed trees, damaged homes and cut off electrical power to more than 20,000 structures but there were no reported injuries.
Escambia County Emergency Management Director David Adams said all indications are that the damage was caused by straight-line winds and not tornadoes.
Adams said wind speeds were likely in excess of 70 mph in some areas when the storm came through.
"There were a lot of trees down and major damage to several houses," Adams said.
Crews from Alabama Power and Southern Pine Electric Cooperative were out in force after the storm working to restore power. Most all the power was restored by late Saturday.
A large tree took down a utility pole and blocked Highway 31 for about 5 hours.
Flomaton Fire Chief said the tree could not be moved until Alabama Power was on the scene to make sure no electricity was still running through the lines. Once the power company gave its OK, town workers and volunteer firemen cleared the highway.
A huge tree also fell on a house on Martin Luther King Drive in Flomaton which Adams said was destroyed.
A huge tree also fell on a house on Douglas Avenue in Brewton.
The storm forced the cancelation of Saturday's annual Alabama Blueberry Festival in Brewton with officials saying there would not be a makeup date but it will be back next June. The Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce did set up shop late Friday afternoon to sell blueberry ice cream and blueberry cobbler.
Forecasters have now focused on tropical storm Bret as it moves toward the Caribbean.
Adams said it's still too early to tell what the storm will do and which path it will take.
"There are indications it could start to break up," Adams said. "But the main thing is for people to pay attention to the tropics. We are in that season and people need to keep an eye on the tropics."
