Taiwan will conduct earthquake preparedness exercises in September.

Taiwan to Hold Disaster Response Drills Next Month

The National Fire Agency of Taiwan, in collaboration with CNA's staff writers, will be organising a series of disaster response drills from September 17 to 19. These drills will coincide with the annual National Disaster Prevention Day, observed on Sept. 21.

The main event of the drills will be a three-day exercise in Yilan County, where large-scale rescue operations in the wake of an earthquake and tsunami will be simulated. The drills will also include trials of Taiwan's earthquake warning system.

On Sept. 19, an earthquake alert will be sent to mobile phones throughout Taiwan at 9:21am, advising people to "drop, take cover, and hold on." A tsunami warning will follow at 9:30am, directed to people in coastal areas of Taiwan.

In addition to the Yilan County exercise, an earthquake rescue drill will take place at Xinzhuang Sports Park in New Taipei City on Sept. 18 and 19.

The National Disaster Prevention Day was initiated in 2000, one year after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's central regions, resulting in the death of more than 2,400 people. The day aims to raise awareness and preparedness for potential disasters.

Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan made these announcements at a press conference, emphasising the importance of disaster preparedness. The National Fire Agency's Deputy Director-General is Feng Chun-yi.

From Sept. 21, 2020 to Oct. 31, 2020, the National Fire Agency will conduct disaster prevention drills and awareness campaigns across the country. All television stations will cut to the Public Television Service channel for disaster prevention messages from 10:59 to 11:01am on Sept. 19.

These drills will simulate a magnitude 8.5 earthquake in the Ryukyu Trench east of Taiwan, followed by a tsunami. The purpose of these drills is to ensure that Taiwan is prepared for any potential natural disasters and to minimise the impact they may have on the population.