Tornado vs Basement
Those who study survivalism will come across many opinions, a few anecdotes, and virtually no facts. 2012ers therefore have no certainty of what will occur, and no certainty on how to survive it. So it is a relief to come across a genuine review like this one, which shows that basements (and of course other underground shelters) really are the safest place to be if a tornado turns up.
- In the last 10 years the USA has suffered tornado deaths
- Due to their light weight and not being anchored, 44% of those who died were in mobile homes
- The Oklahoma tornadoes of May 1999, caused 40 deaths, 133 severe injuries, and 265 minor injuries, yet people in basements had just one minor injury
- In Joplin, where 155 people died in May 2011 —82% of homes had no basements
If you don’t have a basement, consider using steel hurricane straps to anchor your roof to the house – it’s a cheap option. Or, just flee in a vehicle rather than staying inside – while not a great solution, it proves safer.
Even when you think you have a very secure place to be, s**t can still happen:
Can basements be dangerous regardless? Absolutely. In April an Iowa couple took cover in an all-concrete “tornado room” they’d built in their basement only to have the wind rip away the eight-inch-thick slab that served as its ceiling. Their pickup truck was then flung into the basement, flattening their pool table but leaving the remains of the bunker (and them) unharmed.
