ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, November 9, 1996             TAG: 9611110034
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 

MICROBURST CAUSES HEAVY DAMAGE

LENGTH: Short :   24 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  AP. Harsh winds, but not a tornado, damaged Leila 
          Moore's home Friday afternoon on Virginia 648. Three other homes in 
          the park about 15 miles east of Martinsville were wrecked when a 
          thunderstorm created a Fujita microburst, the National Weather 
          Service in Blacksburg said. In such a storm the weight from heavy 
          rainfall creates a downburst of wind that spreads when it hits the 
          ground. Several commercial buildings south of Martinsville also were
          damaged. Power lines and trees fell and a residential garage 
          collapsed on U.S. 58 east of Martinsville, the Henry County 
          Sheriff's Office said. Storms also caused damage in Henry and 
          Pittsylvania counties.