EF-1 Tornado Hits Athens Alabama

Athens, Alabama was hit by part of a destructive weather system that pushed into northern Alabama during the overnight Saturday.

The NWS determined that the tornadic event began at 11:15pm and lasted about five minutes. Downtown Athens received some of the worst effects of the storm. There is property damage to several businesses and to the Veterans Museum.

No one appears to have died or been seriously injured in the EF-1 Tornado.

The City of Athens asks everyone to stay clear of affected areas as crews continue working diligently on cleanup efforts. Your safety and the efficiency of the cleanup are our top priorities.

Public volunteers will be able to contribute to the efforts, and we’ll share more details about how you can help very soon.

No immediate timeline was available for the reopening of the Athens Square, which was closed to allow workers to clean up debris.