Tuesday night storm causes extensive damage in New Albany area

A fast-moving storm struck New Albany about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night causing widespread damage and leaving many residents without electrical service.

New Albany Lights Gas and Water (NALGW) Manager Bill Mattox estimated at around 10 pm that a third or more of NALGW’s customers were without electrical service. Maddox said, “I don’t think we were hit as bad as the Memorial Day (2017) storm but the damage is pretty widespread.”

BNA Bank appeared undamaged by fallen Courthouse oak tree.

Main power lines going both east and west from New Albany along Highway 30 were down leaving several hundred customers without service. Mattox said known damage to the power system extended to Blue Springs to the southeast along the route of I-22 and west along I-22 where many NALGW customer in Hickory Flat were without power

An oak tree, about four feet in diameter, was uprooted at the north edge of the county courthouse lawn and completely blocked Bankhead Street. Several other large oaks at the courthouse were damaged. The trees were planted about the time the courthouse was completed in 1909. Besides the oak that was uprooted blocking Bankhead Street, limbs two feet in diameter were broken from at least two other century old oak trees. There did not appear there was any actual damage to the courthouse building from the Tuesday night storm.

The tree blocking Bankhead extended almost to the main BNA Bank building across the street but a quick look did not reveal any damage to the structure.

The NALGW manager said at least one large tree was down near the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College leaving New Albany’s historic northside neighborhoods without power.

NAPD blocks Bankhead St. traffic as 100 year old tree is cleared from roadway.

Mattox said at 10 pm that, We’re just now assessing the damage, getting our arms around it.” He said NALGW crews will work throughout the night to clear damage and restore power as soon as possible.

More news will be posted on NAnewsweb.com as it becomes available.

To see storm story follow-up: http://nanewsweb.com/hardworking-crews-clear-roads-restore-power/