A severe storm that swept through the Sioux Valley Dakota First Nation Thursday night leveled homes and sent people running for their lives. Environment Canada meteorologists are investigating whether the storm produced a tornado.
Norma Hotian and Dave Elk returned home with their daughter-in-law to see if anything was left. They were bruised and battered, but otherwise intact after a massive storm lifted their home from its foundation with the pair inside.
“I'm just happy to be alive and have Dave here with me,” said Hotian.
Hotain was in the living room looking out the window watching the storm when she remembers hearing Elk say “Get back.” She said that's exactly what she tried to do but was thrown into the hallway, then again into a closet door.
She said no matter what she did, she couldn't get herself to safety.
“Next thing I remember was trying to grab something, but I was off the ground. I was off the floor,” she said.
Everything seemed to just be heading north,” said Marti Rose Hotian. “I figured the storm wasn't going to come. The next thing you know, it just took a big turn and came for Sioux Valley. Took one of the houses. Pretty bad.”
Eight homes on the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation were damaged in the storm. Many here are calling it a tornado.
“The only thing that could lift a house and move it and spin it and drop it down 20 feet away has got to be a tornado,” said Chief Vince Tacan.
Environment Canada is now on the ground in the community to figure that out. At least right now we're thinking that it’s a likely tornado event, but we won't be able to confirm it until we are able to see better evidence of that,” said Natalie Hassel of Environment Canada.
- With a report by Caroline Barghout
