Shoppers to be directed to shelters during July air raid drills: Official

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) For the first time ever, people shopping at supermarkets or convenience stores in certain townships and districts across Taiwan will be required to go to their nearest air raid shelter or basement during nationwide air raid drills from July 15-18, a defense official said Tuesday.

Formerly known as the Wan An exercise, the air raid drills are now part of the "Urban Resilience Exercise," which also incorporates the Min An disaster prevention and rescue exercise and has been conducted in phases since April.

Each local government has designated three townships or districts as "key verification zones" for the air raid drills, Chu Sen-tsuen (朱森村), director-general of the All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency, told a news conference at the Ministry of National Defense.

For example, in Taipei the zones are Zhongshan, Songshan and Zhongzheng districts.

"In the key verification zones, local governments should make sure people use air raid shelters, placing an emphasis on public transportation, places for shopping, agencies and institutions," Chu said.

"The stores in this year's key verification zones -- for example, Carrefour or RT Mart -- need to guide customers to the basement. Stores that do not have a basement will have to guide customers to a nearby basement or other structurally sound places," Chu told reporters after the news conference.

Asked whether convenience stores will also have to assist customers to take shelter, Chu said they will.

This marks a break from past Wan An exercises, during which pedestrians often enter their nearest convenience stores when the sirens sound without taking further precautions.

"It should be noted that commercial activities at the stores in the key verification zones will be suspended," Chu added.

The staff, owner, or, if applicable, "civil defense team" at markets or stores should be responsible for evacuating and guiding customers to safety, he said.

While such evacuation plans have been in place for past exercises, the upcoming drills will see them enforced and tested for the first time, he said.

People who refuse to follow guidance to evacuate face a fine of NT$30,000 (US$1,026) to NT$150,000 under the Civil Defense Act, he said.