Strong storm strikes Saline, Gallatin counties
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A strong thunderstorm dealt a glancing blow to a region already reeling from severe flooding.
The storm that rolled through Saline and Gallatin counties about 5 p.m. Monday left behind downed power lines, limbs and some debris.
Junction in Gallatin County was hit hardest, Gallatin County Sheriff Shannon Bradley said. A mobile home there was knocked off its foundation, Bradley said. There also were numerous trees and limbs knocked down, along with some power lines.
Shawnee Hills Road north and east of Shawneetown was also hit hard by the storm. A pole barn belonging to Charles Odle was destroyed; just about every tree on his property was damaged, Bradley said.
Ameren reported about 20 power outages in Gallatin County as of 8 a.m. It's not known how many of those outages stem from the storm or are left over from flooding earlier this month.
Despite all the weather-related problems this year, Gallatin County residents can claim one bright spot.
"We were fortunate, between this and the flood, we had no injuries," Bradley said.
Saline County experienced some damage, mostly in the form of downed tree limbs. At least one vehicle was damaged during the storm.
A tree crashed onto the front of a vehicle near 3000 DeNeal Road during Monday's storm, near the Mountain Township office.
Harrisburg firefighters received a call 5:36 p.m. for extrication. One of the firefighters was able to remove the occupant through the rear door.
The fire report indicates the owner of the vehicle was Tina Cox, but firefighters do not know the name of the driver, according to firefighter Captain Donnie Wall.
The occupant refused medical treatment.
A Saline County Highway Department crew sawed the tree from the vehicle and removed it from the road.
Several trees were reported knocked down on Barnett Road, according to Saline County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Allan Ninness.
There also were trees reported knocked down around the old Dorrisville school, Ninness said.
In Eldorado, a tree was across a house near the intersection of Organ and Benton streets, Ninness said. There also were numerous trees and limbs damaged by the storm in Eldorado.
In Carrier Mills, several tree limbs were strewn near roads and in back yards.