PICTURES FROM THE ATLANTA STORM

BFF Malory and I just returned from touring some of the storm damage. What you're seeing on television does not even begin to describe what downtown Atlanta looks like right now. There is no electricity, there is glass, debris, chairs, luggage, twisted metal, buildings collapsed, facades torn away and windows blown out. The picture above is from the roof of my building to show you just how close I am to downtown.

This was about as close as we could get to the Westin Peachtree Plaza. If you blow the picture up you can see all the windows blown out and curtains waving in the breeze. It's actually worse on the other side. We couldn't even get near Centennial Park and CNN Center. All the streets were closed.

This is where I used to live -- The Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts in the Cabbagetown district. It's really quite heartbreaking. I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there three years ago, but I lived there for five and those first four years were fantastic. The interior of the building collapsed and all the floors inside the walls pancaked on each other.

A wider view of the destruction.

If you look on the sidebar of my blog, you'll see the cover of my HalfLife Crisis CD. That photo was taken inside this building when BFF Tina and I lived there.

We had another round of storms and hail about 4 p.m. this afternoon. Very scary. Mayor Shirley Franklin has declared a state of emergency for downtown. And it was definitely a tornado last night, and F2 with over 130 mile an hour winds. My nerves are shot. I'm going to bed.

Comments

Anne Haines said…
Holy crap, Collin - I'm glad you are OK! I just heard about the storms this morning. My aunt lives not too awfully far from downtown, and she was traveling, but was able to get through to her cat sitter to find out that her house & cats were OK - she got home tonight & has no power but otherwise all seems to be well.

Frighteningly reminiscent of the F5 I was in when I was 5 years old, that ripped up much of downtown Topeka, Kansas. The building damage wasn't quite as spectacular, but then we didn't have the high-rises downtown ATL does, of course. Every time I see tornado damage I get a little flashback to "my" tornado... they are truly terrifying things.

So glad you are OK.
Kate Evans said…
Geez, Collin, I'm so glad you're okay. These pictures are incredible.

It's such a weird thing, isn't it, to witness a natural disaster? (I was here in the Bay Area during the 1989 earthquake.)

Please take care.
Whew, Collin--you're right. We aren't seeing these images on t.v.
Thanks for letting us know you are allright, and do get some rest!And hey, Sweet Dreams, if you may.
Crikey, just saw the news on our TV and came straight here to check on you. Very glad you're OK and still have a home - but it must be pretty damn devastating all the same.

*Hugs*.
Unknown said…
Hey:

Happy to hear that you are okay.
Anonymous said…
Glad you're OK. Someone I got my MFA with got her house destroyed. :(
realitywrites said…
Collin, that is scary - relieved that you place and person wasn't touched! I've had nightmares about tornadoes my whole life, but I thought living in cities would remove my chances of ever actually seeing/experiencing one. Guess not!
I really have been out of touch with things - very glad to know that you are apparently safe and well.
Anonymous said…
Been out of town. I couldnt believe the video I saw on TV over the weekend. Tried to call your cell phone on Saturday but never got through. Glad you are ok.

GAV

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