Shanghai builds sprawling bomb shelter - media

BEIJING, July 30 (Reuters) Shanghai, China's biggest city and financial centre, has built a massive underground shelter to protect at least some of its citizens against bomb blasts, gas attacks and nuclear radiation, state media reported today.

The bunker's water, power and ventilation systems could sustain 200,000 people for up to 15 days in the event of an emergency, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing the Shanghai Morning Post.

That would be just over 1.1 per cent of the city's current population, which Xinhua put at around 17.78 million.

The shelter covers more than 90,000 square metres -- roughly equal to 15 football pitches -- and contains nearly 60 kilometres in tunnels linking it to buildings and the city's underground railway, Xinhua said.

Parts of the bunker will serve as warehouses and parking garages in times of peace, it said.

It did not say how authorities would decide who got access to the shelter in the event of an emergency.

REUTERS BDP RS1356