Are China’s disaster simulations turning survival training into entertainment?

The ground is shaking beneath their feet. But for these children in Beijing, there's nothing to be afraid of. They're experiencing a simulated earthquake on an excursion to this public safety center. In a country regularly battered by natural disasters, the lessons could one day save their lives. The feeling of learning It's very... you can both learn and play The Chinese government is promoting immersive experience centers like this, and they're increasingly popular among children and adults alike. The idea is to teach people how to react when disaster really strikes. You can even experience what it's like to be stuck in your car during a flash flood. You can see the water level is rising very quickly around me, it's quite cold water, and you can even see how difficult it is to open your door when you're in deep rushing water. I'll definitely think twice about driving on a flooded road. For some, disaster preparedness is a form of entertainment. At this typhoon experience center in the eastern city of Hangzhou, people pay to put their instincts to the test against 900 tons of water. The growing trend has parallels with what's known as dark tourism, visiting places associated with death and destruction. Every year, several typhoons and tropical storms make landfall in China. Last year alone, natural disasters affected more than 67 million people. But turning disaster into entertainment raises questions about whether such experiences trivialize real suffering. Those behind this center say its core mission is to teach life-saving skills. We don't know when the disaster will come, but since we were children, we have been practicing for children in different areas. When the disaster comes, we all have the knowledge and skills to deal with it. For these young visitors, the experience ends when they exit the building, but the hope is lessons stay with them long after they've left.