Possible Tornado Rips Through Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) – Weather officials say a storm packing winds up to 60 miles per hour has struck downtown Atlanta, damaging high-rises, hotels and two packed sports arenas.

Some of the windows at the CNN Center were broken. That sent some fans watching Mississippi State play the University of Alabama in a Southeastern Conference tournament game running for the exits.

Catwalks swayed and insulation fell from the roof. The basketball game was halted, but resumed after a delay of about an hour. Several fans and at least one reporter on press row said metal bolts and washers fell from the ceiling, though there were no immediate reports of injuries. A pipe ripped a hole in the roof.

There was also damage at nearby Philips Arena, where the Atlanta Hawks were playing the Los Angeles Clippers Utility officials say about 10,000 customers lost power.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)