Absolutely, I have done no research on this but on his website [1] he claims:

> Strength: The fundamental principles of a yurt’s design creates a structure that is surprisingly strong. The compression and tension of the walls and roof can hold thousands of pounds of weight from the snow. The round shape allows high winds to be diverted gracefully around the structure. Unlike a normal house, a yurt doesn’t rely on rigidity to be stable. Because of its flexible nature, a yurt can better withstand natural disasters like earthquakes.

So maybe it's true and they are actually sturdier than it seems?

[1] https://doityurtself.com/is-it-for-you/ (scroll down to "The positives of yurts")