A man is facing a fine of up to NT$150,000 after being caught riding a scooter during urban resilience drills in Taichung on yesterday afternoon.
The incident occurred in Shalu District (沙鹿) at about 1:47pm, shortly after the drills began.
Photo courtesy of Taichung authorities
According to Qingshui Precinct of the Taichung Police Department, the man lost patience while waiting during traffic control measures and rode out of a gas station on Guanghua Road, ignoring police instructions to remain in place.
He was later stopped at a nearby intersection by police and volunteer officers, and turned over to Taichung police for allegedly contravening the Civil Defense Act (民防法).
Under the act, violators of drill regulations can be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000.
Urban resilience drills began yesterday in Miaoli County, Taichung, Nantou County and Changhua County in central Taiwan.
The drills featured 30-minute air raid alerts and evacuations, followed by simulated wartime rescue operations.
The air raid drills ran from 1:30pm to 2pm, during which traffic controls were enforced and operations at public and private venues were temporarily suspended.
Police directed drivers to pull over and take shelter at designated locations.
Led by local governments, the nationwide drills are to continue in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County today, and in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Keelung, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County tomorrow, with air raid drills scheduled from 1:30pm to 2pm.
Air raid drills in Hualien County, Taitung County, and the outlying counties of Penghu, Kinmen, and Lienchiang are to be held on Friday from 10am to 10:30am.
Drills in Tainan, Chiayi City, Chiayi County and Yunlin County have been canceled as those areas continue to recover from damage caused by Typhoon Danas earlier this month.
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