| Tornadoes are as common in central Bangladesh as in the central United States. However, Bangladesh is much more vulnerable to tornadoes than the U.S. There were multiple tornado outbreaks that killed hundreds of people. Factors which increase the number of deaths include: a high frequency of strong tornadoes in densely populated areas, lack of warning systems, paucity of preparedness programs, and tin housing built on elevated ground. These risk factors lead to a high death rate from tornadoes in Bangladesh. The objective of this study is to design and adapt a household tornado shelter to mitigate the tornado hazard in Bangladesh.; Five steps were proposed to reduce the risks of tornado hazards in Bangladesh. First, a more reliable tornado climatology was completed so that the proposed shelters can be placed in areas with the greatest risk. The second step was to design a tornado shelter that is suitable for the cultural and social context of Bangladesh. Third, the resulting tornado shelter was screened and reviewed by local people in Bangladesh to assess suitability. The fourth step was to analyze the feedback and modify the designs and locations of shelters. The final step was to make suggestion for future work in the adoption of the shelters by people of Bangladesh using hierarchical diffusion. This study should be available as an actual policy recommendation and official actions. Tornado shelters would save many lives when tornadoes and microbursts occur in Bangladesh. Such a strategy may also prove beneficial in neighboring India where severe tornado hazards also occur. |
