Two tigers that were briefly on the loose Sunday in Georgia after a tornado touched down and damaged enclosures at an animal safari park have been recaptured, officials said.
The tigers escaped from Pine Mountain Animal Safari in Troup County after the park “sustained extensive tornado damage” and “several animal enclosures were breached,” the park wrote on Facebook.
Both tigers were recaptured by 10:45 a.m. after the park reported that the tigers were unaccounted for, the Troup County Sheriff’s Office said.
Park officials said the tigers were tranquilized and safely returned to a secure enclosure. No animals or employees were hurt during the incident.
Officials did not say where the tigers were located or if the animals had escaped the park’s property.
“Pine Mountain Safari is committed to the safety of our employees, our animals, our customers, and our community,” the park said, adding that it will remain closed Sunday.
While no further details on the escape were immediately available, the incident comes after officials reported that a tornado in the area damaged buildings and toppled trees and power lines. Officials said there is also a report that Verizon cell service is interrupted.
MISSISSIPPI GIVEN EF-4 RATING, TORE DEADLY 59-MILE PATH OF DESTRUCTION, WEATHER OFFICIALS SAY
A tiger, like the one pictured above, eportedly escaped from the Pine Mountain Animal Safari in Troup County, Georgia, after a tornado touched down early Sunday. (iStock)
Crews were responding to people trapped inside their homes, the LaGrange Daily News reported.
The sheriff’s office advised citizens to stay off the roads.
“If you do not have to get on the roads this morning, please do not travel,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook, before adding a second post that read, “STAY OFF THE ROADS Troup County!”
A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of Georgia and Alabama until 1 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
Weather officials also issued a flash flood warning for parts of Georgia, including Manchester, Hannahs Mill and Zebulon through 2 p.m.
The tornado in Georgia comes two days after an outbreak of tornadoes in Mississippi left at least 25 dead and at least one dead in Alabama.
BIDEN DECLARES ‘MAJOR DISASTER’ IN MISSISSIPPI, ORDERS FEDERAL AID FOLLOWING DEADLY TORNADOES
As crews in Mississippi resumed digging through the wreckage of flattened and damaged homes, commercial buildings and municipal offices on Sunday, NWS officials warned more severe weather could be hitting the region.
High winds, large hail and potential tornadoes were possible in eastern Louisiana, south-central Mississippi and south-central Alabama, officials said.
President Biden declared a major emergency in Mississippi and made federal aid available to the state early Sunday, making federal funding available to Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties.
