PRATTVILLE, AL (WSFA) -
It came out of no where.
"We just saw everything just blowing and I mean it was like a freak storm. It was over in about 15 minutes, Selma resident Linda Lee said.
Lee works at the Hancock Bank on Cobbs Ford Road in Prattville.
"They had to run to catch the tent from falling on those new cars," Lee said.
Thunderstorm wind damage could be seen for miles down Cobbs Ford Road and Main Street.
Trees were down everywhere. Workers at Kentucky Fried Chicken were to putting back signs blown away by the high winds.
Shopping carts overturned in the Big Lots parking lot and a cart return bin thrown across the lot.
Walmart customers stuck in the store say it was a two hour scare.
"The lights went out while were at the registers and a lot of customers hemmed up in the store," Selma resident Stephanie Miller said.
Several businesses and even cars were damaged. Applebee's shut down for three hours, while workers swept the glass from the parking lot and waited for the power to come back on.
"We had about six of our employees car windows blown out, about two or three of our customers; one car completely, all four gone out of the car," Monceaux said.
Applebee's manager Dave Monceaux says it was a strange moment.
"Water was blown in the front door and in our vents on the top of the building; we had a couple of signs, we're putting back already," Monceaux said.
Several streets lights were also out for a while. Traffic was diverted through the Walmart parking lot. Also, this nasty weather caused several car accidents throughout Prattville, but police say no serious injuries were reported.
Alabama Power reported nearly 10,000 customers were without power in a widespread area, but crews have restored service to all but about 2,200 as of 5:45pm.
The storms also caused power problems for folks in Auburn. At around 10:30p.m. Tuesday night about 60 people are without power in Montgomery, 800 in Fort Deposit and 200 in Selma. Crews are out working to restore electricity for those folks.
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