ST. JAMES PARISH, La. — On Thursday night, Dianne Jones was on the couch with her daughter when her phone buzzed.
“She asked me if we were getting into the hall are we getting in the hall,” Jones said. “I said yes.”
When she saw the tornado warning, they ran into the hallway, getting there just in time.
“It buzzed, she asked, we ran, and it was here.”
Around 11 o’clock, an EF1 tornado touched down.
“The house started shaking, almost sounding like it was going to be lifted. She got scared, so we started praying,” Jones said.
Now, with no windows, a damaged car, and a destroyed barn, Jones says she just wants her life to feel normal again.
“We did unfortunately loose our rooster,” Jones said.
Across the street, the Rome sibling sat together on Friday afternoon, trying to decide what is ahead, after the storm tore the roofs off of their homes.
“It won’t be easy,” Fernand Rome said. “It won’t be easy.”
The tornado caved in a greenhouse full of the family’s livelihood.
“It’s hard to comprehend, because I’ve never been through anything like this before,” Rome said.
According to parish officials, 40 homes were damaged and 900 homes and businesses were still without power on Friday afternoon.
“With this event, we were very fortunate,” EOC Director Eric Deroche said. “No, injuries no fatalities, just property damage. Everyone walked away. We’ll continue to help rebuild in any way that we can.”
With more potential severe weather on the way, officials are advising residents to pick up any limbs or debris in their yards.
“We definitely had a very difficult day,” Jones said.
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