Indiscriminate attack drill to be held at Taipei Main Station Thursday

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) A drill simulating an indiscriminate attack will be held at Taipei Main Station from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, during which phones within a 1-kilometer radius will receive alert messages.

Travelers are advised to allow extra time through the station during the drill, as access controls and traffic measures may be implemented, the Taipei City government said Wednesday.

The live exercise, to be jointly conducted with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, will test coordination among transit operators, retailers and the emergency services under realistic, scenario-based conditions, it added.

The exercise follows several indiscriminate knife attacks at MRT Taipei Main Station and near MRT Zhongshan Station on Dec. 19 last year, in which four people died, including the suspected perpetrator.

The messages, which will clearly identify the Taipei City government as the sender, will inform recipients in Chinese and English that it is a "drill" and advise them to remain calm, seek nearby cover and avoid onlooking or crowding.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said that further joint security drills are planned ahead of the Lunar New Year, including cross-city scenarios with multiple attackers.

Taipei Main Station is Taiwan's only hub integrating five rail systems and serves an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 passengers daily.