In the aftermath of a tornado that caused significant damage in Très-Saint-Rédempteur and Rigaud, residents are reeling from the destruction. Daniel Gélinas, the owner of the residence at 1299 rue Principale in Très-Saint-Rédempteur, expressed his despair to Néomédia.
"It's a shock to see the total destruction of everything we've built over the past four years. This was our retirement home that we've been working on. Everything I've built is gone," he lamented.
Shortly after 5:30 p.m., a tornado ravaged Gélinas' residence, leaving him barely enough time to take refuge in the basement with his dog. "I heard the wind getting stronger than usual. I went outside and saw pieces of the deck flying around the yard. That's when I saw the whirlwind and realized it was serious. I grabbed my dog, and we rushed to the basement. It was incredibly noisy. By the time I got up, it was over," he told Néomédia.
Upon emerging, Gélinas saw the extent of the damage and realized his roof had been torn off. "I went back up to my office, where I had been working just minutes before, and there were debris everywhere. The roof was gone, and I could see outside," he added.
Très-Saint-Rédempteur Mayor Julie Lemieux visited the scene late Monday and again on Tuesday. "A lot of people mobilized to help the victims, which highlights the importance of our civil security agreement with the towns of Pincourt and Pointe-Fortune. As soon as the alert went out, our teams were ready to respond," she said.
"The most incredible thing is the solidarity of the local people. Our neighbors, our community, the mayor—everyone came to help us. We could have been housed in any home," said the affected homeowner.
Despite everything, Gélinas remains hopeful for the future. "We will clean up and rebuild," he stated.
This report was originally posted by Néomédia in French
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