Authorities say the storm that has slammed a Georgia town has killed at least one person there.

Craig Millsap, the fire chief in Georgia's Bartow County, says officials found one person dead in the storm damage. However, he did not have further details about how the person died Wednesday.

The storm did major damage in Adairsville, northwest of Atlanta. Cars were overturned on Interstate 75, forcing officials to close the highway in both directions.

American Red Cross spokesman Ruben Brown said shortly after noon that its volunteers are in close contact with emergency management officials and will be ready to respond to the Adairsville area if requested.

Atlanta station WSB-TV aired footage of a large manufacturing plant in the Adairsville area which had been demolished in the storms.

Georgia Power said 8,540 customers were without power in the wake of the storms -- with 6,800 of them in northwest Georgia -- as of 1 p.m

Tags: Adairsville, tornado, bartow county, severe thunderstorms