Traffic controls are to be imposed and people on the streets would be required to enter shelters during the 30-minute Wanan air defense drills across Taiwan from Monday to Thursday next week.
The 47th annual Wanan exercises are to be held from 1:30pm to 2pm on Monday in central Taiwan and take place at the same time on Tuesday in northern Taiwan, on Wednesday in eastern Taiwan and outlying counties, and on Thursday in southern Taiwan, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said during a ministry meeting.
The ministry’s zoning system for the drills lists central Taiwan as comprising Taichung and Chiayi City, as well as Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin and Chiayi counties; northern Taiwan as comprising Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City and Yilan County; eastern and outlying areas covering Hualien, Taitung, Penghu, Kinmen and Lienchiang counties; and southern Taiwan covering Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County.
Photo: Su Chin-fong, Taipei Times
Following the 30-minute air-raid drills, local governments are to stage another 30 minutes of drills to test shelter operations, and check that utilities are working and supplies are sufficient, Liu said, adding that those drills would run from 2pm to 2:30pm.
The 22 local government administrations, except for Hsinchu and Chiayi cities, are to each select two administrative areas — townships, cities or districts — to assess how well the local governments guide people into air-raid shelters, the ministry said, adding that Hsinchu City and Chiayi City would each select one district.
Local governments would issue air-defense alerts, and use television, radio, police patrol car broadcasts and other broadcast systems, including at schools, to enhance coverage of the warning drills, the ministry said.
In addition, text message alerts would be sent to mobile devices, it said.
During the drills, drivers must immediately park and, along with pedestrians, follow police instructions to enter the nearest air-raid shelter, it said.
People who refuse to comply would face a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000, the ministry added.
The first Wanan air-defense drill took place in 1978 to raise public awareness of the government’s emergency response measures, and reduce the likelihood of casualties and damage in case of an attack.
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