Your place in the sun and your place underground? Bunkers on the rise in Murcia

A giant billboard in the centre of Murcia is turning heads, signalling the rise of private bunkers

Murcia is popular for its year-round sunshine and beautiful beaches, making it the perfect place for a second home. But what about a home a little further underground? A new trend is taking root, quite literally, as private bunkers are trending in the Region.

A large billboard has popped up in Murcia city centre advertising bunkers, and it is certainly turning heads.

“Bunker as an alternative to secure the future,” it reads, an announcement which is causing a stir that has spilled over into social media. 

@bunkerfd2022

 

♬ sonido original - bunkerfd2022

These prefabricated bunkers once considered something from the past or a prop from a survivalist movie are becoming increasingly visible in Murcia.

Since the Spain-wide blackout last year, a lot of people have gone into what you might call ‘prepper mode,’ buying torches and battery-powered radios, keeping a stock of tinned food just in case. Prefabricated bunkers seem like the next step on that spectrum, especially if you take a look at everything happening in the world at the moment. 

People in this area aren’t just thinking about the political climate, either. The increase in storms and extreme weather hitting the Mediterranean coast over the last few years has been impossible to ignore. Just recently, Mazarrón made headlines worldwide when three “water tornadoes” or manga marinas formed, causing destruction along the coast. With that in mind a bunker might seem like a good idea even if it still feels a little surreal.

They don’t look like the scary, concrete bunkers you might remember from movies either. In fact, many of them are surprisingly modern and even a bit fancy. Some are designed for families, others for businesses or farms, but they’re all practical, sturdy, and built to stay out of sight.

Even so, for many the idea of retreating underground is still a long way away. But with billboards in the city centre and the underground bunker companies reporting a lot of interest we may see a rise in hidden hideaways around here. 

Image: X/ @sergio_merka