Taiwan is preparing air-raid shelters in underground spaces such as basement car parks, the subway system and subterranean shopping centres as fears of a Chinese attack increase. The capital, Taipei, has more than 4,600 such shelters that can accommodate 12 million people, more than four times its population.
A military police officer guides people to an underground space that will be used as an air-raid shelter in the event of an attack, during a drill in Taipei. Taiwan has vowed to defend itself and has made strengthening its defences a priority, with regular military and civil defence drills
A customer gets a haircut at a barber shop in an underground shopping centre between two metro stations, which will be used as an air-raid shelter in the event of an attack
A participant in first aid training looks at a booklet with illustrations of the Taiwan armed forces and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army
Girls practise their dance moves at an underground square between two metro stations. The capital has more than 4,600 such shelters that can accommodate 12 million people, more than four times its population
Women demonstrate taking shelter and covering their eyes and ears while
keeping their mouth open, to minimise the impact of blast waves, during a
drill at a basement parking lot that will be used as an air-raid
shelter in the event of an attack
Men play ping-pong at a table tennis club in an underground space that
could be used as an air-raid shelter beneath a residential building in
Taipei
A woman sings at a karaoke bar in an underground space beneath a residential building
Volunteers place a fake wound on a participant during first aid
training. Last month, Taiwan held a comprehensive air-raid exercise
across the island for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic
disrupted regular drills
Commuters ride an escalator in an underground metro station, which could be used as an air-raid shelter
A masseur works at a massage parlour in an underground shopping centre between two metro stations
An instructor shows participants how to transport an injured person with
everyday objects during first aid training. Authorities are required by
law to keep the shelters clean and open but they do not have to be
stocked with supplies such as food and water. Researchers in parliament
called in June for shelters to be provided with emergency supplies
Tourists pose for photos at an underground tunnel beneath the Grand hotel
People demonstrate taking shelter with their hands covering their eyes and ears during a drill at a basement parking lot
A man walks past a bookstore in an underground shopping centre between
two metro stations that could be used as an air-raid shelter
A poster on a building for a designated air-raid shelter with
information on the maximum number of people it can take. Taipei
officials have been updating their database of designated shelters,
putting their whereabouts on a smartphone app and launching a social
media and poster campaign to make sure people know how to find their
closest one