The building and shelter are secured to the ground by 169 pilings driven into the ground . It is rated to withstand a 9.2-magnitude earthquake ( which would be one of the largest ever recorded ) and has a parapet to shield against tsunami surges . The pilings , which form the main structure for the shelter , were considered a cost-effective way to build new tsunami-resistant shelters ; the shelter only added 20 percent to the Ocosta Elementary School 's $ 13 million construction budget . Concrete and steel were chosen as the building 's main structural materials after observations made during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami , where concrete buildings were the least damaged
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Ocosta Elementary School