China opens former air raid shelters amid heat wave
Jul 14, 2022, 3:04 AM | Updated: 4:21 am

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, cafe owner Chen Huanwen, right chats with customers in Jiulongpo District of southwestern in the cafe opened in an air raid shelter, China's Chongqing, July 11, 2022. High temperatures have prompted cites in China to open former air raid shelters as a relief from the heat. (Liu Chan/Xinhua via AP)
(Liu Chan/Xinhua via AP)
BEIJING (AP) — High temperatures have prompted cites in eastern China to open former air raid shelters as a relief from the heat.
Temperatures have surpassed all-time records in much of the country, while flooding has hit many parts.
Air raid shelters were built in numerous Chinese cities during the Japanese invasion beginning in 1937. The building campaign was restored in the late 1950s when the former Soviet Union canceled its projects with China, prompting then-leader Mao Zedong to lean toward a diplomatic opening with Washington while guarding against a nuclear attack.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.