Nationwide urban resilience drills set for July 15-18: MND

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) Taiwan will hold a series of urban resilience drills from July 15 to 18 in conjunction with the annual Han Kuang military drills to test its defense readiness under simulated wartime conditions, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday.

The drills will be conducted regionally and feature air raid sirens, public evacuation procedures, traffic controls, and mobile alert notifications, said Chu Sen-tsuen (朱森村), director of the Manpower Mobilization Division under the All-out Defense Mobilization Office.

On July 15, exercises will take place in Miaoli County, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Chiayi City, Chu said at a press conference.

On July 16, drills will be held in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung County in the south, he said.

Northern Taiwan, including Yilan County, Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City, will conduct drills on July 17, while the eastern and outlying counties -- Hualien, Taitung, Kinmen, Lienchiang and Penghu -- will follow on July 18.

Drills will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. in most areas, while counties in eastern Taiwan and outlying island counties will conduct theirs from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

During the exercises, operations at public and private venues will be temporarily suspended to carry out evacuation and emergency response procedures, according to the MND.

Transportation hubs, including airports, seaports, conventional rail, high-speed rail, metro systems, intercity buses and bus terminals must suspend all services during the drill, with alighting passengers required to cooperate with evacuation measures.

Passengers waiting for their transportation services will not be subject to controls, and metro and train services already in motion will not be affected, it said.

All levels of government agencies, retail outlets, hotels, exhibition centers, markets, and pharmacies are also required to suspend operations during the designated time.

Mobile phone users will receive alerts stating "(Air Defense Drill) Incoming enemy missile/rocket attacks. Seek immediate shelter. (MND)" and "(Air Defense Drill) Air defense alert lifted. (MND)" at the start and end of the exercise, it said.

Meanwhile, Taipei, Taichung and Tainan will carry out expanded drills that incorporate war games, civil defense, and critical infrastructure protection, simulating elements of the Han Kuang military exercises.

Morning sessions will involve tabletop simulations, and afternoon sessions will include hands-on rescue drills conducted in realistic settings.

In addition, each local government will select three districts or townships to test public shelter entry procedures at key locations, such as transport hubs, public facilities, and essential infrastructure.