Sweden mulls building 50,000 new nuclear bunkers

The Swedish government is considering almost doubling the number of bunkers in the country over ten years. The move would be to ensure readiness for an attack, even a nuclear strike, the country's civil protection agency said in a recent report.

Sweden already has 65,000 emergency shelters able to house seven million people, an impressive number given that Sweden's population is yet to reach 10 million. But a new government-commissioned report by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) argues that it is nowhere near enough and suggests building enough to house the country's entire population.

The projected cost of the project is two billion kroner [$120 million], to be allocated by the government only for the construction of the new facilities. A further billion kroner will be needed to renovate existing sites, mainly their ventilation systems. Respiratory...