An emergency shelter includes a number of reinforced walls that define a substantially enclosed interior space in which people can enter in emergencies; a doorway opening formed in at least one of the walls to permit entry into and exit from the interior space; a door mounted over that doorway opening; and a latching assembly for latching and locking the door in its closed position. The door is configured to slide horizontally relative to the doorway opening between an open position and a closed position so that it can be opened even when debris is blown up against it. The shelter also includes a door jamb adjacent the doorway opening for receiving and partially surrounding a leading edge of the door to prevent movement of the door along an axis transverse to the horizontal sliding direction of the door so that the door does not cave in when struck by debris. A flange on the trailing edge of the door overlaps a flange on the front wall when the door is closed to prevent movement of the door along an axis transverse to the horizontal sliding direction of the door so that the trailing edge of the door does not cave in when struck by debris. The latching assembly securely latches and locks the door in its closed position but permits the door to be opened even when portions of the latching assembly are damaged.