The de facto United States embassy in Taiwan on Tuesday said its emergency message to American citizens in Taiwan on Feb. 10 was a reminder to be prepared for natural disasters after a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey on Feb. 6.

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) reiterated the purpose of the message after a local TV news station ran a story Tuesday claiming the AIT sent an email to U.S. citizens related to a possible evacuation in the event of a cross-Taiwan Strait conflict.

Citing an unnamed source, the report claimed the message said that if tensions were to escalate, an evacuation plan could be launched under the codeword “earthquake,” but the report did not produce a copy of the message or any other details to confirm that it even existed.

The only emergency message sent out by the AIT so far in 2023 has been the message on Feb. 10 called “Preparing Now for Disasters.”

In a reply to a CNA question on the situation, an AIT spokesperson said it released the Feb. 10 message to U.S. citizens related to preparing for natural disasters in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey that have left at least 53,000 people dead.

The message, the spokesperson said, was “part of our regular, ongoing outreach conducted to U.S. citizens worldwide,” which is done because “the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State.”

The Feb. 10 message, which is available on the AIT website, opens with the statement that news of the devastating earthquake “reminds us that a disaster can occur at any time, unexpectedly, and the best time to prepare for one is now.”

“AIT reminds U.S. citizens in Taiwan that Taiwan is in a region prone to disasters. If you find yourself affected by an unexpected disaster, your own preparations will be most important,” it said.

The message also came with recommendations that American citizens should prepare a “go-bag” to ensure documents and necessary supplies are easily accessible in case one needs to leave home quickly in case of emergency.

It also advised American citizens to enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler-Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate them in an emergency.

The AIT represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel