This may seem to some people a topic for humor, but it is far from humorous! The type of soil (or bedrock inches under the surface) and building traditions dictates whether homes have basements. In the Midwest, Tornado Alley, many homes do not have basements. They have Storm Cellars, often dug close to but not next to the house.
Going to a basement or storm cellar puts cement blocks and underground between you and what is going on at the surface. A storm can "wipe" a 2 or 3-story structure within seconds, but it doesn't "break" the cement block foundation. The only structural risks are the few casement windows--small rectangular (usually non-opening) windows with two panes. The casement windows sit between the floor framing for the First Floor, and the level of the yard-- usually only about 30 to 36 inches is "above ground". It is easy to block those windows by piling up anything that is in the basement. (Often, home owners put the washer and dryer below a casement window, for a source of natural light, so the units act as additional barriers.)
The only real risk involves debris from the house being ripped apart, which would temporarily "trap" survivors in the basement. But it would be like being trapped in a room-- with space around you--unless the first floor caved in.
A secondary risk that does not occur very often is that winds could send debris into the cement or directly through a casement window. However, that would mean the object, such as a 2 by 4 (wood), would need to be horizontal to the ground and be driven through one of the sides of the foundation. A 2x4 CAN go through cement blocks, BUT this is NOT usual because it would need to be right at ground level.
You have a much higher rate of survival with going to your basement than any other place in your house. Going to a storm cellar gives more coverage--but the risk of being "buried" under debris can be higher because it sits separate from the house. Rescuers will check foundations covered by debris...but they won't be able to see or know the location of a storm cellar.
So before you joke about this and think the joke is funny, learn the facts and seriously think about the protection that a basement affords to a family and pets.
No, the basement is the safest place to be in a tornado.
In the basement you are pretty much safe from all but the worst of tornadoes.
Bodies.
tornadoes occur most often in the Great Plains but they can and do occur in nearly every part of the United States that if you hear a tornado warning move to a safe area as soon as you find the safest place to be during a tornado is in the basement of a well built building.
If you are concerned about tornadoes you should choose a strongly built house that has a basement to storm cellar. If that isn't an option you should find a house with a small interior room, preferably a bathroom with a bathtub.
Get inside as quicly as possible. Find a basement, or cellar if possible. Otherwise find an interior room on the lowest floor of a study house or other building.It should be noted that you should not have been in the pool in the first place. Tornadoes occur during thunderstorms, and you should never be in water during a thunderstorm due to the risk of lightning strikes.
It's just about the safest place you could find.
You need to be on the lookout during thunderstorms, particularly if an SPC outlook mentions tornadoes for your region. You can find the SPC outlooks at the link below.
Me and my wife are interested in designing our basement. Where can we find some basement design ideas?
I want to remodel my basement. Where do I find a good contractor who knows what they are doing?
Go to the basement or lowest floor of the building you are in. Try to find an interior room without windows.
I would like to change my basement completely from a game room to something more sophisticated. Where can I find basement ideas online?
Yes, you can find a Snorunt at Shoal Cave during low tide and evolve it, and find the Glalieite in the Shoal Cave basement.
Go to the basement or lowest floor of the building you are in. Try to find an interior room without windows.