Shanghai has completed the construction of a super underground
bunker that can accommodate 200,000 people in emergency to evade
blasts, poisonous gas emission and nuclear radiation, according to
local reports.
The bunker covers a total area of more than 90,000 square
meters. It has 15 passages nearly 4,000 meters in length each to
link the underground space with ground buildings and facilities,
including office towers and residence departments, the Shanghai
Morning Post reported on Saturday.
Once an inlet or exit is blocked, the people hiding in the
underground bunker can choose any other one to go in or out. In
addition, the bunker is connected with subways, which can help
people flee from one district to other districts in Shanghai, the
report said.
The people in the bunker may avoid the harms brought by
disasters taking place on the ground, such as blasts, poisonous gas
emission and nuclear radiation, the Shanghai Morning Post
quoted an official of the Civil Defense Office as saying.
Water, power and ventilation systems in the bunker are capable
supporting people to hide for seven to 15 days in safety, the
official said.
In peaceful times, some parts of the bunker can be used as
garages, warehouses or commercial facilities, the official
said.
Shanghai, the economic hub and financial center of China, has
now a population of about 17.78 million with a city area of about
5,155 square kilometers.
(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2006)