Storm causes power outage at Cone Hospital, and flooding and downed tree limbs across Greensboro

A fallen limb damaged the roof of an apartment at Latham Park Manor.

A mid-afternoon, sudden, severe thunderstorm swept through central Greensboro on Sunday, knocking out power, downing tree limbs and flooding streets along North Buffalo Creek.

The storm caused intermittent power outages at Cone Hospital on North Elm Street for about two and a half hours, Communications Coordinator Lawanda Forte said. She added that the outage had no impact on the hospital's patients, but that as a precautionary measure the hospital directed emergency traffic to other Cone Health facilities. The hospital is equipped with emergency generators.

As of 6 p.m., the hospital was operating as normal and receiving emergency traffic.

Latham Road flooded north of Wendover Avenue as a result of surging water from North Buffalo Creek. Heavy tree limbs crashed down along Latham Road on both sides of Wendover Avenue, and resulted in an evacuation from an apartment at Latham Park Manor. Jason Austin with Fidelity Realty Co. said the roof of a second, unoccupied unit was also damaged due to a branch falling on it.

Austin said lightning caused the limbs to fall.

"I talked to residents and they said they saw a big flash of light," he said, "and then they didn't see anything but heavy rain."

"The storms also toppled a utility pole in Latham Park Manor.