Our house is of block, and its ability to withstand earthquake isn't too good. It could vibrate apart easier than a wood frame house. So our thoughts turn to shelter, just in case. We have acquired large, heavy duty tarps, parachute cord and if necessary, we can acquire 20 foot lengths of PVC pipe to make a frame for a dome shelter. However, wind begins to become an obvious factor in making a decent shelter, and tarps and plastic pipe just wouldn't work.
Wood frames can withstand a great amount of wind, but they also have their limits.
It came to mind that underground would be a good place, but not a cave or mine, since the possibility of cave-in is pretty good. My grandparents started to build a house in Connecticut back in the late twenties, but as they progressed, money suddenly dried up and all they had was the basement. They took the framing for what would have been the first floor, and made it into a roof. While all their neighbors' homes were literally destroyed by the high winds, my grandparents and family were safe and dry and warm. What follows are the plans I have made for a simple box, that can be put, or more likely built in a hole.