Tainan simulates emergency response to explosion in civil defense drill

Tainan, March 27 (CNA) The first-ever field exercise organized under the Presidential Office's civil defense committee was held in Tainan on Thursday, with around 1,500 people from the public and private sectors participating in an emergency rescue and response operation.

The drill was carried out based on a scenario in which an explosion occurs near the tourist service center at Anping Harbor, with an estimated 200 casualties at the scene.

According to the Presidential Office, the drill was meant to test central and local government emergency response capabilities, such as large-scale evacuations, sheltering and treating the injured.

Around 1,500 civilians were mobilized, including police forces, a special team from Anping Harbor, volunteer police under local police stations and fire departments, charity group members and businesses, to work alongside alternative service conscripts in the operation.

The drill was done without the participation of Taiwan's armed forces, but military field hospital equipment was used on site, as part of the emergency medical facilities.

Speaking after inspecting the operation, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) emphasized the importance of making preparations and building up Taiwan's resilience for natural disasters, major accidents and "changes to geopolitical situations."

Lai was joined in the inspection by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), Director of the American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Taipei Main Office Raymond Greene, as well as other Taiwanese officials.

The goal is to ensure Taiwan's security and achieve peace through demonstrating not just military but also civil defense capabilities, he said.