Thousands of Georgians without power after storms

photo A trucker sits in his truck with a power line across it on Hwy. 101 near Silver Creek Mini Mart in Silver Creek, Ga., Monday, March 18, 2013. Rain, hail and heavy winds buffeted parts of Georgia on Monday, and the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings throughout the state. (AP Photo/Rome News-Tribune, Brittany Hannah)

ATLANTA - Thousands of Georgians were without power in the pre-dawn hours today after rain, hail and heavy winds buffeted parts of Georgia.

Trees and power lines were down throughout areas of northwest Georgia.

Georgia Power officials said 73,000 customers were without power Monday night, but crews worked through the night to trim that number to fewer than 30,000 by early this morning.

The National Weather Service reported a store was destroyed and 12 homes were damaged between Cave Spring and Silver Creek, south of Rome in Floyd County.

Officials said power lines had also fallen onto a vehicle on Padlock Mountain Road in Cave Spring. The National Weather Service reported six people in Floyd County suffered minor injuries in the storm.

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