Taipei came to a brief standstill on Thursday when air raid sirens forced thousands of people off the streets and into underground shelters and shops in a rehearsal for a Chinese attack.
The annual civilian drill is being held in cities across Taiwan this week, alongside military training, to prepare the self-governing 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.
Since taking office last year, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has sought to raise public awareness of the threat posed by China.
“It is as much training as acclimating the Taiwanese population to the reality of modern warfare,” said Kitsch Liao of the Atlantic Council, a U.S. think tank.
Defence expert Chieh Chung said such mishaps were “difficult to avoid” in urban areas.
