The Pantherese president was in one of the above-ground shelters. The building was a 180m tall skyscraper.
He had spoken to Himmel Soan and asked the latter if they could shield a building with the IVE Extractor and only go underground when the meteorite was very close. The answer was yes, but they had to maintain the capacity of the extractors.
With enough innate vigorous energy and the proper surface to attach to, the innate vigorous energy could even shield a city. However, it needed a proper base.
The building of the above-ground shelter was the proper surface, and so were the walls of the underground shelter.
Innate vigorous energy looked like a liquid gas and could even become solid. The prerequisite to becoming solid was to have it attached to an object. The energy wouldn't take shape on its own without being directed by mental force.