Man faces NT$150,000 fine for riding scooter during drills

Taipei, July 15 (CNA) A man is facing a fine of up to NT$150,000 (US$5,120) after being caught riding a scooter during urban resilience drills in Taichung on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident occurred in Shalu District in the central Taiwan city at around 1:47 p.m., shortly after the drills began.

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 Department for allegedly violating the Civil Defense Act.

Under the Act, violators of drill regulations can be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000.

Urban resilience drills began Tuesday 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 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., 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 will continue in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County on Wednesday; in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Keelung, Hsinchu City, and Hsinchu County on Thursday, with air raid drills scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Air raid drills in Hualien County, Taitung County, and the outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu will be held on Friday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

However, 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.