Short answer. Portugal has no technical standard for protective shelters and no shelter obligation in buildings. The official rules that do exist concern tsunami refuge: Resolution No. 1/2019 of 12 September sets the signs for tsunami-exposed areas and evacuation routes, Resolution No. 2/2019 of the same date sets the technical rules for tsunami sirens, and the national civil protection authority (ANEPC) defines the two kinds of official refuge point, the "zona de refúgio" and the "local de abrigo" 12. We could not find the text of the two resolutions online; what this page says about them comes from ANEPC's guide (Cadernos Técnicos PROCIV #28), which cites them.
What do the two resolutions cover?
| Text | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution No. 1/2019, 12 September | Guiding standard for installing signs in areas exposed to tsunami risk and on their evacuation routes | 12 |
| Resolution No. 2/2019, 12 September | Technical standards for tsunami warning systems using sirens | 12 |
Under Resolution No. 2/2019, sirens must sound a start-of-warning and an end-of-warning signal, and may broadcast voice messages in between telling people what to do 1. ANEPC's guide lists both resolutions among the legislation that applies 1. We have not read the resolutions themselves: their content here is as described in that guide (Caderno Técnico PROCIV #28), not taken from the original texts.
Which official signs should I recognise?
Three basic signs were agreed, in line with the ISO 20712 tsunami signs that UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission has encouraged since 2008 1:
- zone potentially threatened by tsunami ("zona potencialmente ameaçada por tsunami");
- refuge zone ("zona de refúgio");
- elevated shelter ("local de abrigo").
Route signs point to the nearest refuge zone or elevated shelter and may carry a plate giving the distance 1. ANEPC stresses that signs should be checked regularly, because they can be destroyed or vandalised 1.
What is the difference between a refuge zone and an elevated shelter?
Both are "meeting points" where people go immediately after a tsunami warning 1:
- a zona de refúgio is an open space above the area the tsunami could reach;
- a local de abrigo is a common space or building, easy to reach, above that area 1.
From these points, the authorities then direct people to the population support zones (ZCAP) set up in emergency plans 1. ANEPC also defines vertical evacuation as climbing to the upper floors of buildings that offer structural safety 1.
What should an official meeting point offer?
ANEPC's guide, written for coastal and estuarine municipalities, lists desirable minimum requirements, depending on the type of point 12:
- at least 3 floors (about 9 m) where the point is a building;
- backup lighting for 10 to 14 hours;
- working communication devices such as radios or megaphones;
- toilets, or room to install temporary ones, and drinking water;
- signs that follow Resolution No. 1/2019.
Ideally, nobody should have to walk more than 1,000 metres to reach one 1. Where a building is used for vertical evacuation inside the flood area, the guide says it must withstand the earthquake and the waves with their debris, and stand higher than the worst-case wave 1. Assessing that is a job for a structural engineer; Phaenyx gives no construction instructions.
How do I find my nearest refuge point?
Ask your municipality's civil protection service: municipalities draw up the evacuation plans for tsunami-threatened areas 1. For sheltering from other hazards, see public shelters in Portugal and our tsunami guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Portugal have rules for bomb or fallout shelters?
No such rule was found. The official texts above concern tsunami warning, signage and evacuation 1.
Is a "local de abrigo" a bomb shelter?
No. It is a building or common space above the tsunami-threatened area, used as a meeting point after a tsunami warning 1.
Where can I read the English version?
ANEPC publishes the guide in English as PROCIV Handbook #28A 2.
Sources
- ANEPC - Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil — Guia de Referência para Planeamento de Evacuação em caso de Tsunami (Cadernos Técnicos PROCIV #28) — https://prociv.gov.pt/media/yq0nelnl/ct_28_guia-de-referência-para-planeamento-de-evacuação-em-caso-de-tsunami.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)
- ANEPC - National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection — Reference Guide for Evacuation Planning in case of Tsunami (PROCIV Handbooks #28A) — https://prociv.gov.pt/media/tz0novyb/reference-guide-for-evacuation-planning-in-case-of-tsunami_anepc.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)
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Sources
- ANEPC - Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil · Guia de Referência para Planeamento de Evacuação em caso de Tsunami (Cadernos Técnicos PROCIV #28) checked 2026-10-27
- ANEPC - National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection · Reference Guide for Evacuation Planning in case of Tsunami (PROCIV Handbooks #28A) checked 2026-10-27