NWS now reports 15 tornadoes hit state

PEACHTREE CITY - The National Weather Service (NWS) says that Sunday's severe weather spawned 15 tornadoes in Georgia, up from the six it reported earlier.

The strongest of the so-called ``Mother's Day tornadoes'' occurred in Treutlen County and was an EF3, which means it had winds of between 136 and 165 mph. Most of the twisters were an EF2, with winds between 111 and 135 mph.

The first tornadoes touched down shortly after 4 a.m. in Carroll and Troup counties.

Two people were killed and the storms prompted Gov. Sonny Perdue to declare a state of emergency in 13 Georgia counties.

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Oxendine said estimates of damage from last weekend's storms have reached $100 million.

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