Germany asks citizens to stockpile food and water first time after Cold War

File photo taken on August 7, 2015 shows volunteers transporting water bottles outside the State Office of Health and Social Affairs Berlin (LAGeSo). Germany will introduce its first civil defence strategy since the end of the Cold War, calling on the population to stockpile enough food and water for several days, according to a report Sunday, August 21, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

BERLIN - Germany is asking its citizens for the first time after the Cold War to stockpile enough food and water for ten days as a precaution against possible terrorist attacks.

The request, included in a recently published government paper titled "Concept for Civil Defense," came after a series of deadly attacks that were believed to have links with extremist groups struck the country.

"The population will be obliged to hold an individual supply of food for ten days," the paper said, adding a supply of water for five days is also a good idea.

The 69-page report did not foresee a foreign invasion, but warned that "a development that could threaten our existence cannot be ruled out in the future."

The German public is responding actively to the government's call, with many supermarkets emptied of their food supply.

"Hamsterkaeufe," which means "panic buying," has become a trending topic hashtag among German twitter users.