DEFENSE/Eastern Taiwan holds air defense drills without mobile network slowdown

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) Hualien and Taitung counties in eastern Taiwan held urban resilience air defense drills Wednesday, practicing evacuation and sheltering procedures without conducting a simulated mobile network slowdown as implemented in central Taiwan earlier this week.

Authorities said the decision was made after taking into account the region's communications infrastructure and the potential impact of such a measure, without providing any details.

The drill began at 1:30 p.m. with air raid sirens, prompting police and civil defense personnel to clear roads and guide people to nearby shelters.

In Hualien, people at the county government office were directed to an underground parking lot, while shoppers and employees at Far Eastern Department Store were evacuated to the basement. Police also directed vehicles to pull over, with drivers and passengers required to go to shelters in nearby buildings.

Hualien County officials said more than 700 personnel from the county government, police and civil defense units took part in the exercise, adding that the evacuation was completed quickly and smoothly.

In Taitung, passengers at the train station were directed to a roughly 30-meter-long underground passage. More than 100 people crowded into the passage, with some fanning themselves to keep cool.

Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching-ling (饒慶鈴) said the exercise revealed areas that needed to be reviewed and improved, providing useful information for future emergency preparedness.