Powerful thunderstorms rolled through the metro Atlanta area Thursday evening, and eight people suffered minor injuries after a lightning strike in Fayette County.
The storms brought down trees and knocked out power for thousands as forecasters issued a flash flood warning for parts of Fulton and DeKalb counties.
In Fayette County, a family was sitting under an awning when lightning struck a house in the 400 block of Hilo Road, the fire department said. Eight people were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, and the house sustained approximately $1,000 worth of damage, Channel 2 Action News reported.
An Atlanta eatery also was damaged during the storms. A tree came down on the main dining rooms at Fox Brothers BBQ at 1238 DeKalb Ave. in the Candler Park neighborhood. One of the owners told Channel 2 that no one was hurt, but he could not say when the restaurant may reopen.
"They say it sounded like the end of the world," Justin Fox of Fox Brothers BBQ said.
There were customers in the restaurant at the time.
"There were a few tables where it happened, but fortunately, they saw it happening and were able to get out," Fox said.
A Georgia Power spokesman said heavy winds were believed responsible for bringing down trees and power lines. As of 7:30 p.m., about 2,500 customers, mostly in east Atlanta, were without electricity. Most were expected to have their power restored within 30 minutes, he said.
At one point during the evening, the FAA reported weather-related gate hold and taxi delays of up to an hour for departures at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The rain also caused a delay at Turner Field, where the Braves were hosting the Marlins.
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued a flash flood warning until 2 a.m. for central Fulton County, including Buckhead, and west central DeKalb County.
Additional rainfall was likely, and the Weather Service warned of flooding of small creeks, streams, highways, underpasses and other low-lying areas.
Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said to expect more rain and scattered storms Friday and through the weekend.
There is a 60 percent chance of rain Friday and Saturday, and a 40 percent chance Sunday. Highs will be in the upper 80s and low 90s, while lows will be in the low to mid-70s.
—Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this article.
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