Across Georgia

Boy killed after tree falls, splits house

ROSSVILLE --- A giant red oak tree fell on a northwest Georgia house with seven people inside, killing a 7-year-old boy and injuring another child and a woman who were trapped inside, authorities said.

The boy was identified as Christian Lucas. His aunt, Beverly Brown, said her mother was injured and in serious condition at a Chattanooga, Tenn., hospital. She said her 22-month-old son was treated and released.

The tree sliced the house nearly in half.

"When you first saw it, I thought, 'Nobody could survive that,'" neighbor Yana Van Horn said. "Just to hear her crying and you can't do anything, you can't get to her, you can't do anything, you're just helpless."

She said the tree had been leaning over the home and the family had been complaining about it.

The victims were trapped inside for about four hours after the tree fell. Rescuers in Walker County were called about 11 p.m. Thursday.

County Fire Chief Randy Camp told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the incident doesn't appear to be weather-related.

Eight more counties eligible for disaster aid

ATLANTA --- Gov. Sonny Perdue says eight additional Georgia counties have been granted federal disaster status, making them eligible for aid to help them repair damage from storms that began in late March.

Federal assistance will now be available to Ben Hill, Brantley, Camden, Lee, McIntosh, Montgomery, Seminole and Tattnall counties.

Applicants in Ben Hill, Camden, Montgomery and Tattnall counties will be eligible for individual assistance, which can include grants for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses.

Brantley, Lee, McIntosh and Seminole counties are eligible for public assistance, which makes federal money available to local governments and nonprofits on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities.