A Quebecer living in Mississippi, where tornadoes killed at least 25 people, is still preparing for difficult weather conditions Sunday night.
• Also read: Mississippi faces major damage after tornadoes kill 25 people
“You never sleep well on nights with severe thunderstorms and the possibility of a tornado,” says Jean-Paul Lavallée, who lives about 1:30 to 2 hours from tornado-prone cities.
“There are more hurricanes than tornadoes in the area where I live. The same thing happens, you just have to be careful around the house and stay away from the windows. The sound of tornadoes is like the sound of a train, and I don’t live near a railroad,” he adds.
Although he has not been affected by recent natural disasters, he knows several people who have “lost their homes”.
“The state of Mississippi is one of the most resilient states. Yesterday morning people were already out and about during such natural disasters. I have friends who have lost their homes,” he says.
“If the roof comes off in a tornado and the water comes in, the property is worth nothing. The winds are strong. You lose everything,” specifies Mr. Lavallée.
The Quebecer wanted to tell a story about “love” that happened when the weather was bad.
“I would like to mention one person’s name, Robert Lee, from Silver City. I don’t know him personally. He died protecting his wife by lying on it. It’s a love story, but it’s also tragic at the same time,” says Mr Lavallée.
Can we really prepare for a natural disaster?
“In hurricane season (…) you always have to be ready and plan ahead. We need to fill up our cars with gas in case we need to evacuate. We prepare food, candles, battery lamps,” he explains.