Storms Wreak Havoc Throughout State

Thunderstorms toppled trees and power lines across Georgia, knocking out electricity to more than 200,000 homes and businesses after three days of drenching rain from New England to the Midwest. Fierce wind in Peachtree City, about 25 miles south of Atlanta, broke the wind gauge of the National Weather Service. Gusts up to 80 mph were reported elsewhere in north Georgia, including winds that bent a 4-inch-around flagpole in the Atlanta suburb of East Point. Storms moved into Georgia around midnight and swept quickly through the state, with hail and heavy rain but no major flooding.