Basements are extremely uncommon in the area. It's all just wide and flat farmland with a water table that's too high for digging a basement. So 200 some people were injured, there's massive damage (the tornadoess were pretty devastating), and they're trying to figure out what to do now. But no one was killed. And that's pretty amazing given that they just had to hide in bathtubs or closets.
Unlike hurricanes - everyone in the area can remember hurricanes that were easier, worse, caused more house damage, caused more deaths, caused more flooding, etc. than the current one - no one can recall a tornado ever doing that much damage in that area. The footage I've seen of the thing is just incredible.
scary and weird.