"Doomsday shelters" selling fast
An illustration of a nuclear bomb shelter by the late Paul Laszlo, world's famous architect and interior designer
First, it was baby formula, then food, electronic products and components, salt and now, people are rushing to buy "doomsday shelters".
The panic-buying occurred after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, as well as the Libya crisis.
US companies selling such bunkers are seeing sales skyrocketing from 20 per cent to 1,000 per cent, according to CNNMoney.
Northwest Shelter Systems, which offers shelters ranging from US$200,000 (RM605,500) to US$20mil (RM60.55mil), has seen sales surge 70 per cent.
So far, 12 shelters were booked when the company normally sells only four shelters per year.
Underground Bomb Shelter - which sells portable shelters, bomb shelters and underground bunkers - has seen inquiries soar 400 per cent since the Japanese earthquake.
So far sales of its US$9,500 (RM28,761) nuclear biological chemical shelter tents are at an all-time high - with four sold last week, compared to about one a month normally.
A Vivos bunker
Vivos, a company that sells rooms in 200-person doomsday bunkers, has received thousands of applications, in which a reservation requires a minimum deposit of US$5,000 (RM15,138).
The last time people flocked to purchase such shelters was right before the Y2K scare, said Stephen O’Leary, an associate professor at University of Southern California.
"Tens of millions of people believe in a literal apocalypse, which involves earthquakes, storms, disasters of global proportions and especially disasters related to the Middle East," O'Leary said.
Elan Yadan, a clothing store owner, is one of those who secured a spot for his family of four in a Vivos shelter.
"I honestly didn't want to do it, but unfortunately it looks like the worst expectations about the world are starting to come true," said Yadan, who had been reading about Mayan predictions of a global meltdown in 2012.
"With the things happening this week, it's better to be safe than sorry. And what good is a house if you don't feel safe?"
Source: CNNMoney
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