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BREAKING: Afternoon storm brings wind damage to Saline County

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A storm carrying straight-line winds over 90 mph in at least one area tore through Saline County Friday afternoon, leaving trees and power lines down in its wake.

No storm-related injuries have yet been reported.

A major line of storms started moving through the county shortly after noon. The first storm carried rain; the second storm, which brought the strong winds, moved through about 90 minutes later.

A deputy working in the northern part of the county around Harco reported winds above 90 mph and described the area as "unsafe" as he announced he was leaving the area.

A semi-tractor-trailer was blown onto its side near the Harrisburg-Raleigh Airport, according to Sheriff Keith Brown. Authorities had to figure out how to get to the area because trees were blocking state Route 34 near Harrisburg and near Galatia

Numerous trees fell throughout the county, blocking several roads in addition to state Route 34. Limbs and trees fell across Poplar Street about one block east of Casey's. A Harrisburg Street and Alley crew and Harrisburg Police pushed the tree out of the way. The biggest part of the limbs were picked up by a city backhoe and carried away; the rest were pushed off the road into yards to get the street open as fast as possible.

Liberty Road and Route 45 south of Carrier Mills were reported blocked, at least for a short time.

Dorris Heights and Small Street are blocked at this time due to downed trees and lines.

A new problem developed while deputies and police were routing traffic around state Route 34.

Chief Deputy Todd Fort said while police were directing traffic around the semi-tractor trailer, a gas leak was reported at 3:01 p.m. near Rileyville Road, power lines were down at Mt. Moriah Road and traffic was returning back to state Route 34. Fort ordered the highway closed until the semi-tractor trailer could be removed.

Between about 1:40 p.m. and 1:55 p.m., Poplar Street was blocked at McKinley Avenue by several limbs, a limb across state Route 34 near Galatia was blocking the highway, power lines were reported down on Liberty Road and there was an Eldorado Fire Department call due to lines down and smoke at Kerr Street and Jones Street.

-- At 2:06 p.m. a deputy in the Harco area reported limbs were coming down everywhere.

-- At 2:10 p.m. there was a report of three power poles snapped on Raleigh Road.

-- At 2:12 p.m. the deputy in the Harco area estimated wind speeds in excess of 90 mph.

-- At 2:13 p.m. the deputy in the Harco area reported he was leaving the area for safety reasons and a large tree was reported to be across Byrd Road in the Rileyville Area.

The deputy then reported a "huge tree" fell down in front of an Illinois Department of Transportation truck and numerous trees were falling down.

-- At 2:21 p.m. the semi-tractor trailer was reported blown over with the driver trapped inside. The driver was communicating with Saline County Central Dispatch and did not appear to be injured. Eldorado firefighters were toned for a rescue of the driver.

-- At 2:22 p.m. trees were reported blocking state Route 34 just north of Harrisburg at a road construction site.

Numerous large oak limbs were down at the Harrisburg city cemetery and the city's Public Properties Department workers were busy clearing limbs from the streets.

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