HUNDREDS of US families are preparing for “the end of the world” in an underground military bunker almost the size of Manhattan.

Vivos xPoint in Edgemont, South Dakota, is an underground survival shelter designed to provide a place to live for thousands of people in case of a global catastrophe, reports The Sun.

The former military space has 575 bunkers in phase one of the development, but will hold up to 10,000 people when it’s completed.

At US$25,000 for a private bunker, buyers get a luxurious interior deep in the ground, which will guarantee a shelter for the day of the reckoning. The sprawling, remote community is located in Fall River county near Edgemont in South Dakota, where the US Army’s Fort Igloo was once based.

The site will provide 24-7 on-site security, with military trained guards, “members only” access gates, cameras, all within the high security, military fenced property.

Amenities for residents will also include, a store, restaurant, bar, BBQ areas, theatre, hot tub spa, gym, medical clinic, gardens, classrooms, a chapel, horse stables, and shooting ranges.

Robert K. Vicino, founder and CEO of VIVOS, has said that the buyers are not paranoid, but “aware”.

“Our buyers are aware — not paranoid — they’re highly intelligent, well educated, they read a lot.”

He added: “The whole world is concerned. Everybody is having gut level feelings and they’re all feeling something is about to happen.

“Some are concerned about North Korea, others are concerned about an economic collapse, others are concerned about World War III.

“There’s threats from the sun, a mass ejection, threats of asteroids hitting the earth ... There’s near misses every week now.”

Calling the 2200 square foot bunkers “life assurance”, Vicino said it would be crazy not to buy one.

“To not have this or a back-up plan for mankind, an insurance policy is crazy.

“The cost that we’re able to do this is nothing. It’s crazy not to — it’s nothing more than life assurance.

“This place is huge, the bunker we’re in is bigger than most houses,” he said. “It’s going to be the largest survival community on the planet.”