The soldier says that Center, Blair, and Clinton counties must be evacuated. There are no counties named Center or Blair in New York. There is a Clinton County but it is at the extreme north of the state, much farther than it would be reasonable for someone to drive from New York City looking for refuge.
The hole the bus ends up in appears to be a quarry. It has a perfectly flat floor and walls which are almost vertical. But a quarry would have a graded road leading out of it, eliminating the need for the kids to climb the steep walls.
Luke, the Malik kid, steps onto some grass to urinate. He is out of everyone's eyesight for moments, then disappears. Seconds Later parents Aneesha and Ahmed go looking for him, but he has managed to get so far in front of them that the farmer. Mitchell, has not only found him and taken him in and got him settled before the parents show up.