Tornado that struck Cairo was an EF-2

Updated- March 4, 2018

GRADY COUNTY, Ga. (WCTV) -- Residents across the Big Bend and South Georgia are cleaning up on Monday after severe weather on Sunday night knocked out power and damaged hundreds of buildings.

The National Weather Service deployed three teams Monday to review damage from the storms.

The NWS confirmed Monday that an EF-2 tornado touched down in Cairo on Sunday night, with maximum winds estimated at 120 miles per hour.

A second NWS team is heading to Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla counties, and the third will inspect damage in Washington, Jackson and Walton counties.

So far, the NWS has also

and

in the Alford community.

There is also significant damage in Cairo, specifically on the southeastern side of town. Hard-hit areas include Church and Broad Streets, and 1st, 5th and 6th Avenues.

Grady County EMA Director Richard Phillips says search and rescue teams were working until 2 a.m. Monday, then were came back in around 7 a.m. to begin a secondary search and assess damage.

Phillips says the initial estimate is that 500 to 1000 homes and businesses have been impacted. No injuries or deaths have been reported in Grady County at this time.

Crews are asking residents to stay out of the impacted areas to allow clean-up crews to access the areas without issue and assess the damage.

Cairo Mayor Booker Gainor says the Red Cross has set up a warming station at the Grady County Agricultural Center for residents displaced by the storm. They are asking for volunteers and donations of hygiene products.

Grady County Schools announced Sunday night that

for Monday, March 4 due to storm damage.