Air raid sirens, evacuations as Taipei holds civilian drills

Taipei's normally busy streets came to a brief standstill on July 17 when air raid sirens forced thousands of people off the streets and into underground shelters in a rehearsal for a Chinese attack.

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TAIPEI - Taipei's normally busy streets came to a brief standstill on July 17 when air raid sirens forced thousands of people off the streets and into underground shelters in a rehearsal for a Chinese attack.

The annual civilian drills are being held in cities across Taiwan this week, alongside military training, to prepare the self-governed island for a potential Chinese invasion.

While Communist China has never ruled Taiwan, Beijing insists the island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.

At 1:30 pm, sirens sounded across Taipei, bringing the capital city of 2.5 million people to a halt for half an hour.

Motorbikes, cars and public buses stopped on the street and people were directed into shelters, including underground carparks and subway stations.

The drills will also involve simulating wartime aid distribution and a mass casualty event.