DEFENSE/Central Taiwan holds urban resilience drill in first mobile data slowdown

Taipei, Aug. 10 (CNA) Central Taiwan held an urban resilience air defense drill Monday that, for the first time, included the deliberate slowing of mobile internet services to simulate communications disruptions during a wartime emergency.

Air raid sirens sounded at 2:30 p.m. across Miaoli County, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Yunlin County, Chiayi City and Chiayi County, marking the start of the 30-minute exercise.

As part of the drill, the National Communications Commission reduced mobile network bandwidth while maintaining voice calls, text messaging, emergency calls and disaster-prevention cell broadcast alerts.

Mixed public reactions

In Taichung, residents followed police instructions to evacuate to nearby shelters after the sirens sounded. One person in a basement repeatedly tried to send a photo message reading "HELP" but was unable to do so. Department stores switched off their lights, lowered their shutters and temporarily suspended business.

One shopper said the 30-minute slowdown caused little inconvenience because it was brief, although shopping became more difficult after the lights were turned off.

A Vietnamese graduate student praised the exercise, saying similar drills in Vietnam are generally limited to border areas and conducted mainly by the military, with civilians rarely involved.

Taiwan's urban resilience drills, she said, demonstrate the government's emphasis on public preparedness by actively involving city residents.

Not everyone welcomed the internet slowdown. One mobile gamer said a game download stalled at 35 percent, preventing him from logging in and making the 30-minute disruption "disastrous."

In Chiayi, one resident who deliberately tested the internet during the drill said photos sent through LINE took much longer to upload and websites were difficult to access.

He nevertheless said the disruption was worthwhile because the empty streets gave people an opportunity to practice emergency preparedness.

Authorities assess preparedness

In Chiayi County, police and civil defense personnel quickly guided vehicles and pedestrians to designated safe locations after the air raid sirens sounded.

County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) inspected evacuation arrangements at Minxiong Railway Station, a hardware store and the Minxiong Township Office, as well as an underground air raid shelter at the township representatives' council.

Weng said local governments should continue strengthening preparedness for compound disasters and other emergencies, using drills to refine response capabilities and identify areas for improvement. 

Elsewhere in Changhua, usually busy streets fell silent after the drill began as residents stayed indoors. A supermarket closed for 30 minutes over concerns that customers might be unable to make mobile payments, while some residents tested their internet speeds and found download rates had slowed significantly.

The annual urban resilience exercises will continue Tuesday in the outlying counties of Kinmen, Lienchiang and Penghu before moving to northern Taiwan on Thursday.