Southwest Missouri town's community tornado shelter opens

NIANGUA, Mo. -- Residents of a small southwest Missouri town have a new place to take shelter when the tornado siren goes off.

A huge, aboveground concrete dome on the campus of the Niangua School District has room to shelter 400 people. It was built with a grant from FEMA and certified to withstand the most powerful tornado for up to five full minutes.

The shelter's grand opening took place Thursday night, but it already had a trial run. Dozens of people showed up to take cover when violent weather hit the area last week.

Niangua school superintendent Andy Adams said the dome is safer than a church basement.