Short answer. Kuwait's Ministry of Interior publishes an official list of 129 sheltering sites (مقار الإيواء), almost all public schools and kindergartens, sorted by the six governorates, each with a Google Maps link 1. They are designated sheltering premises, not purpose-built blast shelters, and the list gives no capacity 1. Find yours on the Civil Defence page of moi.gov.kw.
How many sheltering sites are there, by governorate?
Phaenyx counted the sites from the governorate lists on the official page on 20 October 2026; the ministry itself publishes no total 1.
| Governorate | Sites |
|---|---|
| Capital | 22 |
| Hawalli | 17 |
| Farwaniya | 24 |
| Mubarak Al-Kabeer | 12 |
| Ahmadi | 30 |
| Jahra | 24 |
| Total | 129 |
What kind of buildings are they?
The sites are designated sheltering premises, mainly schools and kindergartens 1. They are not described as purpose-built blast or fallout shelters, and the official list does not state how many people each one can hold 1.
How do I find my nearest site?
- Open the Civil Defence "مقار الإيواء" (sheltering sites) page on moi.gov.kw 1.
- Pick your governorate from the drop-down list 1.
- Each site name links to its location on Google Maps 1.
The page is in Arabic. Look up your site before an emergency, and note a second one in case the first is out of reach.
What do the official instructions say about where to go?
Civil Defence's early-warning leaflet tells people, when the intermittent siren tone sounds, to avoid lifts, use emergency exits and stairs, go down to lower floors or the basement and head to the safe place (shelter or hide-out) 2. For many households that safe place is a room at home; see Building a shelter in Kuwait and Emergency alerts in Kuwait.
Whether to stay where you are or move is discussed in our guide Should you shelter in place or evacuate?. For what a building's lower floors offer against fallout, see What is a shelter's protection factor?.
Frequently asked questions
How many public shelters does Kuwait have?
The official list read on 20 October 2026 has 129 sheltering sites across the six governorates 1. The total is Phaenyx's count; the ministry publishes the lists, not a total.
Are Kuwait's sheltering sites bunkers?
No. They are designated sheltering premises, mostly schools and kindergartens, not purpose-built blast shelters 1.
How many people can each site hold?
The official list gives no capacity 1.
Which governorate has the most sites?
Ahmadi, with 30 sites on the list read on 20 October 2026 1.
Sources
- Ministry of Interior, Kuwait — الإدارة العامة للدفاع المدني — مقار الإيواء / أرقام الطوارئ (Sheltering sites / Emergency numbers) — https://www.moi.gov.kw/main/eservices/civildefence/shelters (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Ministry of Interior, General Directorate of Civil Defence — تعليمات وإرشادات نظام الإنذار المبكر التي يجب اتباعها عند سماع كل نغمة (Early-warning system instructions for each tone) — https://www.moi.gov.kw/main/content/docs/civildefence/ar/early-warning-system-guidelines.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Kuwait, worked out for your household.
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- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- Ministry of Interior, Kuwait · الإدارة العامة للدفاع المدني — مقار الإيواء / أرقام الطوارئ checked 2026-10-20
- Ministry of Interior, General Directorate of Civil Defence · تعليمات وإرشادات نظام الإنذار المبكر التي يجب اتباعها عند سماع كل نغمة checked 2026-10-20