TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – As Typhoon Gaemi barreled toward Taiwan Wednesday (July 24), the military said it was ready to switch from conducting its annual war games to offering relief to disaster victims.

Wednesday is the third day of the July 22-26 Han Kuang 40 exercises, which sees troops practice realistic war scenarios all over Taiwan. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) visited Air Force bases in Hualien County Tuesday (July 23), where he witnessed troops simulating the treatment of injured soldiers in the wake of an enemy bomb and missile attack.

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Wednesday the war games would continue, but that troops needed to pay close attention to safety and to the changing weather situation. If the typhoon caused a disaster then local military units should simultaneously conduct drills and offer relief, per CNA.

If the typhoon caused disasters in two or more cities or counties, including deaths and injuries, or posed an immediate threat, the military should throw all of its efforts into disaster relief, the MND said. The military is preparing both manpower and machinery to intervene if necessary.

In Matsu, a group of islands close to the Chinese coast, the local defense command conducted live firings of cannons early Wednesday morning. Visiting tourists asked the authorities about the noise, but residents replied that the sounds of warfare formed part of their daily lives and did not interrupt their work, CNA reported.

The Matsu Defense Command said the live-fire drills helped improve the soldiers’ practical knowledge of artillery proceedings and of their responsibilities during combat.