TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan will test its civilian air defense preparedness across all 368 townships for the first time next month, completing a five-year expansion of shelter drills that began with just three neighborhoods in 2022. The exercises will also include the island's first-ever mobile network slowdown drill, affecting approximately 17 million people in central and northern Taiwan.
The Ministry of National Defense (國防部) announced Tuesday (July 28) that the 2026 Urban Resilience Air Defense Exercise (2026城鎮韌性防空演習) will run from Aug. 7 through Aug. 13, with drills staggered across five regions. Here is what residents need to know.
When and where do I Need to Take Shelter?
The 30-minute exercises proceed region by region: southern Taiwan (Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung) on Friday (Aug. 7) from 10 to 10:30 a.m.; central Taiwan on Monday (Aug. 10) from 2:30 to 3 p.m.; outlying islands (Kinmen, Lienchiang, Penghu) on Tuesday (Aug. 11) from 1:30 to 2 p.m.; eastern Taiwan (Hualien, Taitung) on Wednesday (Aug. 12) at the same time; and northern Taiwan on Thursday (Aug. 13) from 2:30 to 3 p.m.
When air raid sirens sound, residents must seek shelter in designated facilities or basements. The Ministry of the Interior's (內政部) guidelines prioritize underground spaces. Those caught outdoors should enter the nearest building; if unavailable, they should lie flat and protect their head with both hands.
"The first priority is to enter a basement or designated air defense shelter, as basements offer better protection," said Ho Tien-fan (何添藩), deputy director of the National Police Agency's (警政署) civil defense command center, during the ministry's weekly press briefing.
Drivers must pull over, exit vehicles and seek shelter. Businesses, government offices, schools and transit stations must halt operations. Civil defense teams are required to guide people to safety.
The nationwide scope represents dramatic expansion since 2022, when the MND tested shelter compliance in just three neighborhoods. Coverage grew to 22 townships in 2023, 42 in 2024, and 65 in 2025.
What Happens to my Phone During the Drill?
For the first time, Taiwan will test how civilians cope when mobile data slows dramatically. The drill affects central Taiwan on Aug. 10 and northern Taiwan on Aug. 13. Approximately 17 million people, or 73% of Taiwan's population, live in the affected areas.
Liang Po-chou (梁伯洲), a director at the National Communications Commission (NCC, 國家通訊傳播委員會), explained that regions were chosen based on communication traffic volume and population density. Southern and eastern Taiwan were excluded because they have already experienced real communication disruptions from past disasters, including Typhoon Danas, the April 3 Hualien earthquake and Matsu's 50-day undersea cable outage.
Voice calls, SMS, emergency lines 110 and 119, ATMs and traffic signals will operate normally. Fixed-line internet and Wi-Fi are unaffected.
"We selected the regions with the highest mobile communication traffic for the first round," Liang said. "We will gradually expand to all counties and cities to strengthen nationwide communication resilience."
However, 4G and 5G mobile data will be slowed significantly. High-bandwidth services — including LINE, social media, video streaming and video calls — may become unusable, according to the NCC. Officials recommend prioritizing voice calls and SMS, or connecting to fixed-line Wi-Fi.
What if I Don't Comply?
Under Article 25 of the Civil Defense Act (民防法), local governments can impose fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 (around US$925 to US$4,627). All government agencies, military units, schools, companies and members of the public within drill zones "must comply with controls and participate in the exercise," the MND stated.
The air defense drills coincide with Han Kuang 42 (漢光42號), Taiwan's largest annual military exercise, running Aug. 5-14. More than 5,000 reservists from the Taipei Reserve Brigade and 153rd Infantry Brigade will be mobilized.
Taiwan's civil defense exercises have evolved from symbolic gestures to substantive stress tests. The five core shelter principles: underground is safer than above ground; indoors is safer than outdoors; stay away from exterior walls; avoid hazardous materials; and adopt a protective posture.
"We firmly believe that being prepared makes us safer," Ho said. "When all citizens possess this knowledge, we can demonstrate the resilient strength of Team Taiwan, Stronger Together." ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$32.42)