Short answer. Hungary has four official alert channels: MoLaRi outdoor sirens with spoken messages, which reach about 517,000 people mostly around hazardous chemical plants; SMS-based public alerts; the free VÉSZ app; and, in a nuclear emergency, Kossuth Rádió and MTV1 1234. No official source confirmed a cell-broadcast system.
What are Hungary's siren signals?
| Signal | Meaning | Pattern | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-raid alarm (légiriadó) | Air attack | 30-second alternating-pitch (280-400 Hz) siren, repeated three times with 30-second pauses | 1 |
| Disaster alarm (katasztrófariadó) | Disaster or hazardous release | 120-second continuous alternating-pitch (133-400 Hz) siren | 1 |
| All clear (riadó elmúlt) | End of an air-raid or disaster alarm | 30-second steady 400 Hz tone, repeated twice with a 30-second pause | 1 |
| Test (ellenőrzés) | System test | 6-second tone rising to 400 Hz, then falling | 1 |
What is the MoLaRi system?
MoLaRi is BM OKF's outdoor alert network. It has 768 public alarm and information endpoints and 419 monitoring endpoints built in 12 counties and Budapest, and can alert about 517,000 people 1. Its endpoints can broadcast spoken messages as well as siren tones 1.
When are the sirens tested?
Tests are generally held on the first Monday of each month, or the next Monday if that day is a holiday, and last about 10 minutes 1. Test messages begin with "Figyelem, ez próba" ("Attention, this is a test"); a real alert does not 1.
Will I get an alert on my phone?
BM OKF runs an SMS-based public alert and information system, set out in Interior Ministry instruction 16/2020 2. No official source confirmed a cell-broadcast system 2.
BM OKF also publishes the free VÉSZ app (veszélyhelyzeti értesítési szolgáltatás, emergency notification service) for Android and iOS. It was launched on 25 November 2013, with a new version on 2 March 2020 3.
What about radio and TV?
In a nuclear emergency, orders for protective measures, and the lifting of those measures, are broadcast on Kossuth Rádió, and on MTV1 for evacuation 4. BM OKF lists a battery-powered radio with spare batteries among the supplies for sheltering indoors 4. See Which emergency radio should you have?
What should I do when I hear an alarm?
Listen to the spoken message if there is one, and follow the instructions broadcast on Kossuth Rádió 14. BM OKF's guidance for a nuclear emergency is to shelter in your own home or building 4. For the choice between staying and leaving, read Should you shelter in place or evacuate? and, for a chemical release, What should you do in a chemical shelter-in-place?. Keep the official supply list ready.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell a test from a real alert?
Test messages begin with "Figyelem, ez próba"; a real alert does not 1. The test tone lasts 6 seconds, rising to 400 Hz then falling 1.
Does the siren network cover all of Hungary?
No. MoLaRi covers about 517,000 people in 12 counties and Budapest, mostly around hazardous chemical plants 1.
What does the all-clear sound like?
A 30-second steady 400 Hz tone, repeated twice with a 30-second pause 1.
Is the VÉSZ app free?
Yes. VÉSZ is a free BM OKF app for Android and iOS 3.
Sources
- BM Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság — MoLaRi-rendszer — https://www.katasztrofavedelem.hu/49/molari-rendszer (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Nemzeti Jogszabálytár — 16/2020. (VIII. 5.) BM utasítás a lakosság SMS alapú riasztásának és veszélyhelyzeti tájékoztatásának rendjéről — https://njt.jog.gov.hu/jogszabaly/2020-16-B0-0A (accessed 2026-10-20)
- BM Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság — VÉSZ — https://www.katasztrofavedelem.hu/37/vesz (accessed 2026-10-20)
- BM Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság — Katasztrófatípusok - Nukleáris veszély — https://www.katasztrofavedelem.hu/300/katasztrofatipusok-nuklearis-veszely (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Hungary, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- BM Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság · MoLaRi-rendszer checked 2026-10-20
- Nemzeti Jogszabálytár · 16/2020. (VIII. 5.) BM utasítás a lakosság SMS alapú riasztásának és veszélyhelyzeti tájékoztatásának rendjéről checked 2026-10-20
- BM Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság · VÉSZ checked 2026-10-20
- BM Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság · Katasztrófatípusok - Nukleáris veszély checked 2026-10-20