Taipei police advise public to prepare ahead of Aug. 13 air defense drill

Taipei, Aug. 6 (CNA) With one week to go before the 2026 Urban Resilience Air Defense Exercise in northern Taiwan, Taipei police on Thursday urged the public to prepare in advance, warning that mobile data speeds will be reduced and traffic restrictions imposed during the drill.

The exercise will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 13 in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Keelung, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County and Yilan County. It is designed to simulate a surprise aerial attack on Taiwan.

When the alarm sounds, police officers and other government personnel will direct people to air defense shelters or other safe indoor locations, the Taipei City Police Department said in a news release Thursday.

During the drill, 4G and 5G mobile data speeds will be deliberately reduced, it added.

Police advised residents to download offline maps provided by the Taipei City Police Department, the National Police Agency and the National Fire Agency.

They also recommended locating nearby air raid shelters in advance and saving screenshots in case mobile service is disrupted.

Police reiterated the principle that "going underground is better than staying above ground, and going indoors is better than remaining outdoors."

Traffic controls will be implemented across the city during the exercise, and members of the public are required to follow evacuation instructions, the police added.

Most indoor and outdoor business operations will be temporarily suspended during the drill, although medical services and other essential activities will continue as normal, they noted.

People who are in buildings without air raid shelters, or who are unable to relocate safely, should remain indoors and stay away from windows, glass doors and other potentially hazardous objects, police said.

During evacuation, people are advised to adopt a protective posture by crouching down and covering their heads, according to the department.

Those who remain under outdoor covered walkways or outside instead of complying with evacuation orders could face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 (US$930-4,650).

Taipei Metro and Taoyuan Metro will continue operating throughout the exercise. Passengers will be allowed to enter stations but will not be permitted to exit until the drill ends.

Taipei Metro advised passengers that, because mobile data speeds will be significantly reduced, those using QR code tickets on their phones may encounter difficulties. It recommended using a stored-value card, credit card or purchasing a single-ride ticket instead.

Taoyuan Metro similarly warned that its website, mobile app and QR code ticketing services may be affected during the exercise, and encouraged passengers to prepare physical tickets in advance.

The two metro operators also said that underground malls and affiliated parking lots in the metro system will be subject to the same "entry only, no exit" restrictions during the drill. People in those areas should follow instructions and evacuate to the nearest metro station if necessary.

The National Communications Commission (NCC) said Thursday it will send a Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) message to mobile phones across Taiwan at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 to give advance notice of mobile internet disruption drills in central Taiwan on Aug. 10 and northern Taiwan on Aug. 13. It urged the public not to be alarmed when they receive the message.