ATLANTA,GA (March 15, 12:50 a.m.): Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin is urging residents to stay away from the downtown area as emergency services personnel work to ensure the safety and security of people after severe weather damaged a large swathe of downtown Atlanta.
Just after 9:30 p.m. weather damaged an area encompassing Ralph McGill to Edgewood; Spring through Piedmont and Centennial Olympic Parkway to Moreland.
“I strongly urge everyone to stay away from the downtown area. Please let emergency services personnel do their job,” said Mayor Franklin. “We have been very fortunate not to have a fatality at this point, and it is imperative that people stay out of the area and let public safety personnel evacuate people and make the area safe.”
At this time, less than a dozen injuries have been reported, but extensive damage to a number of landmark buildings in downtown, including the Omni Hotel, Georgia World Congress Center, CNN Building, the Georgia Dome and Phillips Arena parkade.
Fire, police and emergency services personnel across the city converged in the downtown area to lend assistance.
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