can a tornado pull a storm shelter out of the ground?

Question

We just heard that storm shelters can be pulled out of the ground and that scares me.We just had one put in the ground.Does any one know of this happening?

Answer 1

Unless your storm shelter is an oil drum or something like that, you're very safe down there. I have not heard of that, and would find it unlikely because storm shelters are engineered to stay put.

Answer 2

They CAN come out of the ground, but NOT sucked out of the ground by a tornado. What happens is, the heavy rains which often accompanies a tornado system, saturates the soil around the shelter, and it pops out of the ground. The low air pressure of a passing tornado does accelerate the effect. The shelter is basically a balloon, full of air, and can you hold a balloon under water? That is why in floods, the caskets often pop up and float away. That said, if the shelter was installed well, the soils compacted, and maybe anchors put down deep, it wont happen.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Unless storm shelters aren't properly built, then yes it will. But remember, you're underground. If a tornado happens to rip one piece of a shelter, duck and cover.

Answer 5

Absolutely not. Be assured of that.

Tornadoes work by creating an area of low pressure, causing surrounding higher-pressure air to flood in and take everything it collides with in to it.

If a storm-shelter is underground, it cannot be sucked up because there's no air flow that could apply pressure to it.

Answer 6

I checked Environment Canada and they have an alert (link below) regarding possible severe thunderstorms for Ontario with possibly an isolated tornado. The likelihood of a tornado hitting you is thus extremely small. Best to follow the (local) news closely today (make sure you have batteries for a portable radio/headset for a mobile phone radio as blackouts are quite usual in severe weather).

Answer 7

Anything is possible, but it would be a tornado unlike any the Earth has ever seen. So this is extremely improbable.

Answer 8

Have heard of a top portion being removed(i.e. door or protective entrance) but not of storm shelters being completely removed.

Answer 9

No, if you are underground a storm shelter will not be pulled out.

Answer 10

i've never heard of this happening, but i would say it is possible although unlikely.....but the common misconception that "if you're underground, you're safe" is complete nonsense....you could still be struck by falling debris, struck by lightning, hail or you could drown from heavy rainfall so being underground is not necessarily always the safest option, but it is safer than most alternatives.