Tornadoes

[cbk]

Once again (according to FOX news) Oklahoma is getting clobbered by tornadoes. Naturally we have feelings for the people whose homes and businesses are destroyed by these storms. But, I have to ask, why isn't every home built with a storm shelter in the Midwest? It's not as if storms are going to go somewhere else.

[H Abiff]

In these storms have any death been in a home?

[cbk]

I've heard that there have been 5 deaths recorded so far. But I don't know how or where they happened.
I do know that in a strong tornado the only safe place to be is under ground. Several years ago in Texas they had a really BIG group of tornadoes that just picked up everything and left the area as if nothing had ever been there. In fact (and this really impressed me) They had a huge slab of concrete about the size of a football field. Picked up that sucker and carried it away.
These things scare the stew out of me.

[jb]

Chris, I heard in news report that asked about cellars and they said the ground is hard and lots of water underneath is why they don't make more of them.

[cbk]

j.b., I've heard a lot of things about Oklahoma, but having a lot of water (underground) isn't one of them. Ask the Indians who were dumped there by the U.S. government. They had a hard time growing anything because they lacked water. I think the real reason there aren't more under ground shelters is that builders don't want to go to the expense. And then a new mortgage holder doesn't have the money to put in one. Sort of a; I'll get to it some day attitude.
I remember that my Grandfather's house had a basement that had walls three feet thick. There was a tunnel place where we'd all go if we were at Papa's during a storm. It had the sort of storm doors that open up and out. They were handy to use to take the wash out to the clothes lines. But they were so heavy that we kids couldn't handle them. The basement was a place of wonder for me and my cousins. There was the coal room (we got filthy) the canning room (my aunt Dee put up tons of veggies) the wash room (an old wringer washer) and the rickety dark steps leading down there from the kitchen. We had a ball. It was also neat because the house was on a big hill. And the garage was underground too. It opened to the side of the house. One drove in, closed the doors (also heavy as lead) and the car was safe. There was a small tunnel there that opened to the basement. All in all it was a great old house. Built in the late 1890's.

[cbk]

Just heard that the tornado that hit OK city was the largest (2.6 miles wide ) on record. It was also at the very top of the list for winds. Must have been terrifying.

[jerrycsmith]

I'm afraid we ain't seen nothing yet. In the middle of a natural climate change cycle, all those forces have to find new places to go.
Paleo/geology is full of examples, which most of our puny, de-volved society would not survive.