Finnish bomb shelter doubles up as a sports hall
STORY: With blast-proof walls and bunkers and toilets, the Hakaniemi emergency shelter was built in 2003 and is one of many in the capital to provide cover for the city's 650,000 residents.
Journalists on Wednesday (May 25) were offered a glimpse of the facility which emergency service officers say can house up to 6000 people and can be used to shield even from a nuclear attack.
The tour came just a week after Finland officially submitted their bid to join NATO, a decision spurred by their alarm over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Finland shares a 800-mile border with Russia.
The shelter is located underground and serves as a sport facility as well as a parking lot but can be reverted to a shelter within 72 hours.
According to the city of Helsinki's governmental portal, there are approximately 5,500 other shelters with enough capacity to house those living and visiting the capital in the case of an attack.
