DEFENSE/Wanan air raid drills enter 2nd day with northern Taiwan in focus

Taipei, July 23 (CNA) The annual Wanan air raid defense drills entered their second day Tuesday, targeting seven administrative areas in northern Taiwan.

Air raid sirens rang out at 1:30 p.m. in Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Yilan County, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City, with the movement of people and vehicles restricted during the half hour exercise.

For the duration of the exercise, pedestrians were directed to the nearest designated air raid shelter while drivers were ordered to park their cars and seek refuge in the nearest shelter.

Until the sirens sounded again at 2 p.m. to signal the end of the drill, citizens at home, at work, or in public locations were required to shelter in place.

In addition to restrictions on the movement of people and traffic, local governments in the seven cities and counties conducted various exercises.

In Taipei, rescue personnel simulated scenarios involving people being trapped in a burning building at the Changhsing Water Purification Plant, and guided people to an underground shelter at Yongle Fabric Market.

The drill rundown, planned as early as March, went smoothly, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) told reporters, noting that the city government also introduced new support services, including childcare and psychological counseling.

The 47th edition of the Wanan Exercises started on Monday in Taiwan's central region comprising -- Taichung, Chiayi City, as well as Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin and Chiayi counties.

Taiwan's eastern region -- comprising Hualien and Taitung counties and the outlying Penghu, Kinmen and Lienchiang counties -- will hold their air raid drills on Wednesday. Lienchiang County is the official designation of the Matsu Islands.

Meanwhile, the southern region -- comprising Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County -- will hold drills on Thursday.

The Wanan Exercises are a series of emergency air raid drills that have been held every year in Taiwan since 1978.

Each exercise lasts 30 minutes, during which time air raid sirens sound and residents are required to shelter in place or seek cover in the nearest air raid shelter.

Those who fail to comply with instructions during the drills can be fined of up to NT$150,000 (US$4,564).

The exercises aim to raise public awareness of emergency response measures and reduce the likelihood of casualties and damage in the event of an enemy attack, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

They are also a way for the government to test the emergency response capabilities of local authorities, the ministry has said.