To the people asking why they don't have basements or tornado-proof...
houses or buildings, a few things to keep in mind.
First, I think public buildings, such as schools, should have, at the very least, storm shelters, either in the form of underground ones, or reinforced rooms. Our local malls, around here, are required to have such things, or at least, they all have them.
That's fine and good, that's practical, however, people seem to be under the impression that building a tornado proof home for yourself, or your family, is cheap and easy.
First off, basements, we have them in droves here, and in older houses, we at least have cellars, but they aren't the end all, be all that they can be. A few years ago, we had some kids hunker in a basement during a tornado, the supporting wall for their chimney was ripped away, and that chimney landed on them, they didn't survive.
A couple of considerations, basements have limited utility, even in areas where they are common, they increase your chances of surviving, no question, but they aren't proof against all types of tornadoes or storms. You have to take into consideration the water table, frost line, the type of soil you are building in, and the ultimate cost of all of it. A high water table means mold, and mold means all sorts of nasty chemical reactions that make people sick and may render the building unlivable.
Building above ground, tornado proof, houses is also problematic in one regard, cost, concrete and steel rebar are not cheap, yes, you can build houses that can withstand an F5 or greater, and they will be houses for millionaires only. Building berms is also, while cheaper in money value, more expensive in other ways, you are talking about moving a LOT of earth as barrier to create homes and/or shelters for people. In places with little topsoil, or topsoil that isn't conductive to being piled up like this, its not practical, and in other places, it will be highly disruptive. We can't recreate the Shire everywhere, even if it would be cool.
Community shelters are slightly more practical, and frankly I think we should concentrate on these in areas where they can have a positive effect, but again, this is about minimizing lives lost, it won't eliminate entirely. Tornadoes are highly unpredictable and can appear from no where with no warning.
I remember I was driving on the way to work, it was mid morning, after rush hour, on a 6 lane highway, highway 370, in a rural area of St. Charles County, Missouri. It had nasty looking clouds that morning, but seemed calm, no rain, and the sun was even peeking through in places. I glance north, looking at that flat flood plain with the huge fields of corn, and all of the sudden a little finger of a cloud stretched to the ground, tore a line in a corn field about a half mile away or so, and then disappeared back where it came from, all in the span of a few minutes, at most. Luckily it only tore up some corn, but if a house was there, it would have been fucked. Can't really do much about that, but hope it doesn't happen to you.
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