2012 Mayan Calendar: Is Your Shelter Really Doomsday-Proof?
Only few people out of the world's more than 6 billion population have enough capability to purchase lands or invest on shelter against any environmental catastrophe or doomsday event.
In the event that the 2012 Mayan Calendar End-of-the-World scenario would happen on Friday, majority of the human race will likely migrate to nearby areas safe for living until it is clear and safe to go out again.
But is there really a shelter that is 100 per cent perfect against anything that could happen in a cosmic catastrophe?
Below is a list of 5 shelters types that could be built to protect anyone inside against radiation and chemical exposure, tsunamis, nuclear warheads, earthquakes, and severe storms.
1. Bunkers
This is usually a defensive fortification designed to protect inhabitants against falling bombs or similar attacks. It is mostly below ground compared to blockhouses which are mostly above ground.
Strengths: Deflects blast wave to prevent ear and internal injuries, block radiation, air bombing and attacks.
Weaknesses: Requires large amounts of ventilation or those inside would suffer ill effects from heat, foundations vulnerable to shockwaves and exits points can be closed to trapped inhabitants.
Wrong construction of a bunker can endanger its inhabitants from rain, summer heat, and winter cold.
2. Tunnels
It is an underground passageway completely enclosed except for openings for entrance and exit, commonly at each end. Some tunnels are designed as escape routes to connecting channels which can lead to aqueducts, road traffic, or canal.
Strength: Location provides protection against air attacks; several escape points and inter-connecting channels from one place to another.
Weakness: Multiple access points can permit poison, chemicals, and even radiation inside the tunnel, shockwaves can destroy several channels, a natural waterway is flood occurs.
3. Underground City
It is a series of linked subterranean spaces that may provide a defensive refuge, place of living, transit system, and other establishments. Underground cities are connected through a network of tunnels that connects buildings beneath street level.
Strength: Definitely a comfortable place beneath the ground, it duplicates surface city with additional protection from hazards outside, protection against weather extremes for year-round.
Weakness: Shockwaves with intense magnitude will kill more people than in surface, enclosed location can contribute to pestering situations such as certain diseases, and defensive underground city requires very huge air ventilation.
4. Fallout Shelter
Basically it is an enclosed space designed to protect it occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. During a nuclear explosion, radioactive materials condenses in the rain, it forms dust and light sandy materials which falls to earth, subjecting anything to radiation hazard.
Strength: Focused protection against radioactive exposure, can also protect against natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes, shockwave shielding, very deep of at least 10 floors below the earth.
Weakness: Fallout shelter can become dangerously hot, strong earthquakes can destroy foundation and entrance and exit points can be sealed off from the outside.
5. Hull or Watercraft
The watertight body of a ship or boat with superstructures above it and may include a deckhouse. Typical hulls are made from wooden sailboat while other versions are made from steel and fiberglass.
Strength: Immune to earthquakes, watertight prevents sinking, endless travel.
Weakness: Air attacks, out of this world water pressure impact, dangerously large water creatures if any exists in the surface.
No matter what kind of hiding place is built, not all can prevent every type of attack or danger that will hit Earth. Though not perfect, it's better to have a safe place to hide than be in the open field.