Bomb shelters offer protection from heat
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E-mail China Daily, July 10, 2012
In Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, 10 such projects with a combined area of 5,000 square meters have opened for free since July 1. It is the 10th year for the city to use its bomb shelters as summer resorts, and the shelters have been equipped with benches, tables, drinking water, TV and wireless Internet.
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People enjoy the coolness in an air-raid shelter in Xiaoshan, a city under the jurisdiction of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. |
Yu Zhuya, 60, a retired bus company worker, was seeking shelter in one of Hangzhou's largest underground space near Wushan Square on Monday.
The shelter, hosting about 500 residents during the day on Monday, has a story height of 3 meters and is illuminated by efficient light bulbs.
"It has been my habit to visit the shelter during summer," said Yu, who would bring her lunchbox and stay in the shelter for 12 hours a day.
"It's a comfortable place to read newspapers, play cards and watch TV, and management staff are friendly to everyone," she added.
Sun Guilin, 69, a retired worker in Hangzhou, said the biggest attraction of the space is its tidy environment, cool temperature and convenient facilities. "There is free drinking water, and necessities are sold at small shops," she added.
Chen Feng, manager of the shelter, said up to 800 people will use the space as an entertainment venue on weekends, but some could be turned away by its noisy environment.
Across Hangzhou, the shelters are popular among the society's disadvantaged group, and will accommodate up to 5,000 residents a day, according to Cheng Zhiguo, director of a task force formed by the Hangzhou government to handle heat-stroke prevention issues.
Cheng told China Daily that the shelters have taken special measures to protect senior residents who are sensitive to the temperature's fluctuation.
"We request senior citizens to bring spare clothes and go out of the shelter for a break every two hours," he said.
Emergency plans are prepared at each underground shelter. Common medicines are also in place.
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